Whatever Happened to Eddie?
by Athyna Xavier
Summary: Eddie Jones disappeared after Season 2 of Kickin' It. But does anyone know why?: When the mother of a previous romantic interest accuses Eddie of hiding her, the gang are reeled into a complicated intrigue. Delving into puzzles, conspiracies, and shadowy adversaries, can the Wasabi Warriors find the truth before it's too late? Or will the forces against them destroy them first?
1. A Ballerina Disappears

"Hey Eddie!" Jerry waved at his friend. "What's new?"  
His friend blinked, then narrowed his eyes. "We were just at school."  
"Yeah so?" He threw his bag on the floor.  
The pair had just arrived at the Bobby Wasabi dojo, Eddie coming a couple minutes before Jerry. Rudy was probably on the toilet (again), while Kim, Jack, and Milton would probably enter within the next few seconds.  
"We walked together from school to the mall, then you told me to go first while you grabbed a corndog," Eddie patiently reminded him.  
"Oh!" He beamed. "I wondered why I had corndog breath."  
The other boy shook his head as the other three approached, Milton rushing ahead of the (unofficial) couple.  
"Guys hurry up!" He yelled, his arms flapping. "If we're late today Rudy might have an apoplexy!"  
The pair caught the hint and began shoving stuff into the lockers. Jack and Kim were bemused by their actions.  
"Milton, it's just practice. You know, something we do every day?" Kim reminded with a hint of mockery.  
"Yeah, it's not a big deal," Jack agreed.  
The three boys simultaneously wheeled and stared.  
"NOT A BIG DEAL?!" They shrieked in chorus.  
Puzzled, Jack and Kim leaned away.  
"Guys, Rudy's always chill, why are you acting like this?" Kim demanded.  
Jack paled. "Wait. Did I forget his birthday again?"  
At that moment a loud scream echoed from the office.  
"Go go go!" Eddie, Milton and Jerry shoved Jack and Kim towards the back of the dojo.  
"Why?" Jack cried out. He let himself be pushed, totally bewildered by his friends' behaviour.  
Rudy marched out of his office. As the gang froze at the change room entry, he walked right past them, chattering on his phone.  
"It's fine!" He squeaked, his voice going higher as he paced with anxiety. "No, seriously, I'm fine! The dojo's fine, you don't need to come at all! Please!"  
The sensei was flipping out, and it was enough to put them on edge.  
"What's his deal?" Kim hissed.  
"We had an incident a while ago," Milton confessed. "Black Dragons put cockroaches in the dojo."  
"Right before the health inspector came," Jerry shuddered. "She went loco."  
"Ever since then, we've been getting surprise inspections," Eddie ended the story in a hushed tone.  
"If she calls ahead then it isn't exactly a surprise, is it?" Jack whispered.  
"She calls a few minutes before she arrives," Jerry responded. "Just to psych him out."  
Eddie shook his head. "She scares me more than Kim."  
"Hey!" Kim almost began ranting, but Jack covered her mouth.  
Fortunately Rudy was still oblivious to their presence.  
"Please I'll even sign the paperwork oh my gosh," Rudy had turned to face the door and stopped in horror.  
An imposing woman stood outside the glass pane door.  
The man dropped his phone, hands trembling. "Miss Mohindra!"  
She entered, clipboard in hand and a Bluetooth headset on her ear.  
"Mr. Gillespie," she greeted him formally.  
The petite Indian woman wore an attractive blue pantsuit, along with glasses with rectangular frames. Her makeup was subtle, yet tasteful, and her hair was perfectly coiffed.  
"If I were being polite, I would undoubtedly spout nonsense about it being nice to see you, but I'd be lying," Miss Mohindra sneered slightly. "I would also pretend to actually care about this situation you've found yourself in, but I prefer being honest."  
The teens gaped while Kim mouthed SAVAGE.  
She shot Rudy a laser glare. "And where are your so-called students?" Miss Mohindra interrogated. "Still under the discipline of their great teacher?"  
Everyone took this as their cue to withdraw clumsily, waving their arms, tripping, and generally attempting to be stealthy (but failing).  
"They're just getting changed, they'll be here sooner than you think," Rudy gulped, pretending not to notice the noise.  
One by one each of the teens ran out in their uniforms in record time. Jerry stumbled at the back, causing a domino effect that toppled them all over. Kim barely escaped.  
Miss Mohindra raised her eyebrows, her face inscrutable.  
"Like I said…sooner than you think," Rudy reiterated awkwardly.

As the kids practiced their katas, Miss Mohindra explored the dojo with her eagle eyes. She even dared to march the boys' locker room, undaunted by the rumours of its smell…or bacteria. Rudy was left trailing in her wake like a puppy, trying to peek at her clipboard as she took notes.  
"C'mon Jack, we need to do something!" Eddie's enthusiasm propelled him to suddenly attack the black belt.  
Within seconds Jack threw Eddie over, proceeding to perform a flipping combo that propelled him to the other side of the mat.  
"Like that?" he questioned sardonically.  
Abruptly an alarm began to sound while Miss Mohindra reentered the area, scowling.  
"A locker room that's actually sanitary is rare these days," she remarked, using a remote to deactivate the siren. "And your detectors are in near perfect condition."  
Rudy shifted uneasily. The reason the detectors were so good was because he'd just got them changed and the locker room was clean thanks to the hazmat team he'd paid for out of his own pocket.  
The things he did for his dojo…  
"It seems that my constant evaluations have caused you to sharpen up, Mr. Gillespie." Mohindra commented. "I'm impressed. This is quite satisfactory…for now."  
The sensei pasted a smile on his face. "For now?"  
She spun briskly, propping up her glasses as the teens stepped closer, eavesdropping. "I do not hold grudges, despite what some people may think. If you keep up the good work, we'll see each other much less often."  
"Like never?" Jerry quipped.  
Milton moved forward as the others hit Jerry. "What he's attempting to ask is if your unexpected assessments will continue to occur—"  
"Easy brain box." Kim cut him off before her voice turned sugary sweet. "Miss Mohindra, thank you for coming. Please feel free to come back…or don't…whatever your preference."  
The woman met each of the teens' gawking, finishing with Kim. Her eyes were full of iron power that made the boys retreat. She held Kim's gaze as the girl resisted looking away.  
"All right, I'll leave," Miss Mohindra stated coolly. "I know when I'm not welcome. I'd tell you when to expect me next, but then that wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

Everyone let out a huge sigh of relief as the intimidating woman left, taking her fearsome presence with her.  
"Holy Christmas nuts!" Milton gasped. "I was terrified she'd make us clean the restroom with toothbrushes…again."  
Eddie nodded assent. "The last time I did that, I couldn't brush my teeth for a month."  
Jerry shook his head. "Naw man, I still can't brush my teeth."  
Jack sighed. "Jerry, you never brush your teeth anyway."  
He reflected with a smile. "Oh yeah…"  
"Her charisma is no joke," Kim noted as they shambled back into position. Someone's phone beeped.  
Eddie rushed to his locker. "Sorry guys, I'll only be a second."  
He opened his cell and his face darkened.  
"It's your actual cellphone, not your wallet, right?" Jack cracked.  
Kim elbowed him, noticing their friend's somber expression. "Shut up. Eddie, what's wrong?"  
All of a sudden a sharp noise crackled through the air. The group jumped and spun.  
A strict woman had materialized during the few inattentive moments after the inspector's visit. She wore a long black dress and carried a cane, gripped tightly in both hands. Faded brown hair was pulled into an impeccable bun, and her mouth twisted into a scowl.  
"Oh my gosh it's the Grim Reaper!" Jerry screeched, his tone jumping an octave. "I'M NOT READY TO DIE YET!"  
The woman ignored him, and pointed her long cane at Eddie. "You!" she screamed in a Russian accent. "Where is she?!"  
Jack chose to step up while everyone was bewildered.  
"Whoa, lady, calm down," He began to approach her then stilled as she aimed the cane at him. "I know he knows where she is!" She launched herself at Eddie, but Rudy caught her, struggling to hold her back. The stranger writhed, her dark eyes wild.  
"Madame Riker, I can't help you," Eddie tried to placate the woman. "I'm telling the truth!"  
"You good for nothing leech!" Madame Riker screeched. "Juliana is my greatest accomplishment, and YOU CORRUPTED HER!"  
The accusation hung heavy in the air. No one understood what was happening, but it was evident by the way Eddie slumped that Madame Riker's words hit him hard.  
"Get out before I call security," Rudy was serious for once, forcing her towards the door. "This is my dojo, and what I say goes."  
The woman met his stare for a dangerous moment, before looking away. "Fine," her accent was thick as she withdrew. "But you do her no good in hiding her from me!"  
Madame Riker dramatically took her leave.  
"Somehow I doubt that the whack job over there will leave us alone," Jack remarked shrewdly. "Can you explain what that was, Eddie?"  
The kind boy fiddled with his phone, extremely uncomfortable. He'd never told his friends about this part of his dark history, and for good reason. It'd been a short, mysterious part of his life, and never seemed that important…until now.  
"Eddie, you can trust us," Milton reassured him. "We won't judge you."  
The other teen hesitated. "Well, while I was at the dance academy there was a girl in the advanced ballet class. Juliana. I can't say much, but Madame Riker is her mom and her teacher…and I guess now Juliana's missing."  
Kim snorted. "No kidding, I'd run away too if she was teaching me 24/7. But why did Madame Riker freak out at you?"  
Eddie inhaled deeply before speaking. "Juliana's…my ex-girlfriend."


	2. Helping Hands

Everyone was astonished.  
"Girlfriend?" Jerry's jaw was hanging. "You never told us about one named Juliana."  
Milton sighed, scratching his head absently. "His memory's terrible, but he is often correct when it comes to the female side of the species."  
Jerry nodded and raised his hand for a high five no one returned. He awkwardly brought his hand to his side and coughed.  
Eddie fidgeted uncomfortably. "It wasn't a long relationship. Just a month, at most, before Mrs. Riker found out and stopped it."  
Kim was curious. "So how did it all start?"  
He shrugged. "Well, I sang her a song, played the cello, then served her a meal I made—"  
"Not how you started dating, Eddie, though thanks for the tips," Rudy cut in, mentally noting what he had said for future dating references. "The whole deal with Madame Riker."  
The Wasabi Warriors had gathered around Eddie with curiosity, and now leaned in further as he was about to speak.  
Eddie chuckled anxiously. "Right, right! Well, after her husband died, she's been raising Juliana herself. They moved around a lot because of Madame Riker's ballet career, and Juliana's aiming for a dance scholarship at Juilliard."  
Jack frowned, attempting to fit the pieces together in his head. "Okay…but why is Juliana missing and why does her mom think you hid her?"  
The other boy sheepishly stared at the floor. "Juliana used to run away to get a break from her mom, but she didn't start doing that until she met me. That was a few months before we were 'official.' Anyway, Mrs. Riker says I'm a bad influence."  
Rudy choked as he was drinking water, spitting it all over the floor.  
"RUDY!" Milton yelled. "What if Mohindra saw that?!"  
"Sorry but I think I just misheard Eddie," the sensei replied. "Did you just say she thought you were a bad influence?!"  
The teen nodded slowly.  
"A bad influence?! You?!" Kim exclaimed.  
"Oh, our Eddie's a bad boy now," Jerry joked.  
Eddie hurriedly shoved the last of his stuff into his bag, his face inscrutable.  
"So if we're done here I need to go, my mom sent me an SOS," Eddie hurried to the door.  
"SOS?" Milton questioned.  
"Save our supper," Eddie winced. "Trust me, you don't want to know."  
Grabbing his gear, the boy fled.  
"That's the fastest I've seen him move since the Black Dragons tried to wedgie him to his locker," Milton informed them.  
"It must be really good food," Jerry mused.

Eddie didn't want to leave during practice, but he couldn't ignore the text he'd received.  
He only hoped his flimsy excuse bought him enough time.  
The park was quite full, with families and kids enjoying the evening. Eddie scanned the area and sighed with relief when he saw his contact.  
On a bench beside tall hedges sat a short figure in a blue hoodie. Eddie immediately joined her.  
"Hey," he muttered. "What's going on?"  
The person shifted, then handed over a large brown envelope.  
"I got it, but they're onto us," they whispered in a Jamaican accent.  
"Thank you," Eddie spoke with sincere gratitude. "Anything else I can do to help?"  
The other person laughed a little. "You already are doing everything. I'm thankful for you."  
He or she took their leave, passing by some bushes.  
Milton, Jerry, and Rudy's heads popped up from behind them.  
The trio watched their friend open the envelope and look through a few documents, his face becoming even more solemn.  
"Why are we doing this, let's just go talk to him!" Jerry whisper-shouted.  
"No!" Rudy yelped. "We need to keep a low profile."  
Milton sighed. "I don't know, Rudy, this does seem a little juvenile."  
Jack and Kim appeared, sneaking behind them. Kim stuffed food into Jerry's mouth before he could scream.  
"Blue Hoodie vanished before we could get a good look at them," Jack informed his friends. "Are you guys sure about this?"  
"Remember Truman?" Rudy snapped. "The last thing we need is Eddie getting blackmailed again. We should protect him…discreetly."  
Eddie shoved the documents back into the envelope, stood and paused.  
"You know I can hear you guys?" He spoke too loudly, glaring daggers at their hiding place.  
"WE'VE BEEN SPOTTED! CAMOUFLAGE MODE!" The sensei shrieked at the top of his lungs.  
The Wasabi Warriors did what they did best as master martial artists:  
Hid themselves in a ridiculously noisy fashion.  
Once they finished flailing their limbs Eddie rolled his eyes.  
"Guys! Come on!" He snapped.  
The gang gave up and sheepishly stepped out of the shrubs. They didn't meet their friend's eyes at first.  
Eddie crossed his arms.  
"Why are you following me?" He demanded with annoyance. His eyes glinted dangerously.  
"Why did you lie to us?" Jack countered.  
"And why'd you eat my taco at lunch?" Jerry's words were muffled thanks to the corndog still in his mouth.  
Kim punched him in the shoulder.  
"Okay bad timing." He admitted.  
Milton held his arms wide in a conciliatory gesture, worry creasing his brow. "Eddie, we were concerned—"  
"I'm fine!" Eddie cried. "Why can't you guys trust me on this?"  
Rudy put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Eddie, we're your friends. We're here to help you."  
Hurt, Eddie shook him off. "I don't need your help!" He raged. "Just let me do what I have to do!"  
He was about to march off when Jack stopped him.  
"Eddie, if you don't tell us, we have to assume the worst," he spoke in an undertone. "We—"  
The other boy suddenly moved, grabbing Jack around the neck. He used his right leg to trip him, Jack's own weight causing him to fall.  
"Jack!" Kim tried to grab Eddie, but he was able to elude her grasp and sprint away. Unbeknownst to him, a single piece of paper slipped free from the envelope, landing softly on the ground.  
Milton picked it up, studying it closely, while the others helped Jack to his feet.  
"Jack are you okay?" Jerry asked.  
"Yeah, just…I can't believe he judo threw me!" Jack was in utter disbelief. "He threw me!"  
"Get a grip!" Kim was exasperated. "You're not invincible, and before you say anything, your hair is fine."  
Jack closed his mouth and his face turned red.  
"What've you got there, Milton?" Rudy questioned.  
The brainy boy squinted. "It's one of the papers Eddie dropped, but it's quite peculiar. It appears to be a mixture of sequential codes with an algorithm that utilizes abecedarian and numerical units."  
Everyone stared at him.  
"Little-people words, please," Jerry scratched his scalp.  
Milton rolled his eyes. "It's heavily encrypted, but I can figure it out."  
Suddenly his phone beeped, and he jumped.  
"Who's that?" Kim questioned.  
Milton checked his cell. "Holy Christmas nuts! I forgot to meet Julie at the fro-yo place for our date!"  
"It's okay man, we got this," Jack assured him, taking the sheet. "Get going!"

After Milton's sprint of desperation, the friends regrouped at Falafel Phil's.  
"All right guys, let's do this!" Jerry was pumped.

10 MINUTES LATER

Jerry stared at the ceiling, muttering phrases in Spanish while splayed on the ground.  
Rudy was playing games on his phone.  
Jack fixed his hair in a mirror.  
The only one still working was Kim, who glared sourly at her male counterparts. She surveyed the pile of paper around her before crumpling one sheet in her hands.  
Kim growled with frustration and tossed it behind her, hitting Phil as he entered.  
"Hey!" The restauranteur protested, broom in hand. "What are you doing to my pristine palace?" Jack chuckled. "Phil, the last time we were here I found a cockroach the size of that broom. This palace is many things, but it's not pristine."  
Phil shrugged. "Fair enough. But why do you make even bigger mess?"  
Kim massaged her temples. "I still can't figure it out."  
"Then how did Eddie do it?" Jack demanded. "We saw him look at all the documents in seconds and…Jerry, get off the floor!"  
He rolled and moaned. "No ma, I didn't take the gorilla."  
Kim grabbed a glass of water and poured it on his face.  
"MAMACITA!" He screamed, leaping to his feet.  
"Jerry, stop fooling around, we need to figure this out!" Kim scolded. "Rudy, stop playing Candy Crash!"  
She snatched his phone and chucked it to the side.  
"Hey, I was on level forty!" Rudy protested.  
Kim restrained herself before continuing through gritted teeth. "Focus, guys! If we're ever going to help Eddie, we need to decode this!"  
The guys slumped back to their seats, and sullenly pored over the code.  
Phil peered over. "Wow, you know Esperanto?"  
The four whirled around.  
"Esperanto?" Jack questioned cautiously.  
"It's a made up language, see?" Phil pointed at various words. "Here, here, here…I don't know why numbers are in this as well, but this one means help, thank you…"  
The door slammed open, causing everyone to look up.  
A tough East Asian girl stood tall, dragging Milton by the collar. She wore sunglasses, a black leather jacket and jeans, her short hair dyed midnight blue. She was shorter than Milton, but more muscular. Her combat boots were splattered with paint. "Okay, whose nerd is this?!" She bellowed. Milton flapped his arms helplessly as he struggled to breathe. "If he can't pay, someone needs to, stat. I don't like it when people keep me waiting."  
She abruptly released Milton, and his friends rushed forward to catch him.  
"Thanks for the tip, Phil," Rudy told him. "We should probably deal with this before something else happens."  
Phil retreated to his kitchen without comment.


	3. Another Player Enters

Jerry wolf-whistled. "Whooo! What it do, girl?"  
She ignored him, scrutinizing each of their faces.  
"Well?" The stranger demanded.  
"Would ya mind explaining why you dragged our friend here in the first place?" Jack questioned, before flinching at her sudden movement. "You know, if it won't be any trouble."  
Kim attempted to rouse Milton from his daze.  
"Milton? MILTON. Milton, snap out of it!" Impatient, she slapped him across the face, causing him to fall against a table.  
"OW!" He gasped. "What was that for?!"  
Jerry moved to his opposite side. "Here man I'll help!"  
His "help" was smacking Milton once more, and this time the intellectual spun and fell.  
"Ow…"  
"Jerry!" Kim admonished.  
"What?! I thought we were all slapping him!"  
The pair sat Milton down in a chair as Jack's conversation with the newcomer continued.  
"Like I said, the nerd owes me money," she scowled. "At least a hundred bucks."  
"I DO NOT!" Milton suddenly vocalized.  
The stranger surged forward threateningly, but Rudy stood in her way.  
"That twig ruined my art piece, and it'll take at least that much to undo his mistake!" She clarified bluntly. "Happy now?"  
Rudy gulped but held his ground. "How about we act like civilized people, okay? What's your name?"  
She scoffed, remaining silent.  
"I'm Jack," Jack took the initiative.  
The stranger paused for a moment. "Ella. Ella Wong."  
Rudy grinned nervously. "Hi Ella, I'm Rudy. Now is there a way we can assess the damage, or…?"  
She sighed, her anger simmering down.  
"Follow me," Ella instructed coldly. "It'll be best to show you."

Ella Wong led them into the forest as the evening grew longer. Instead of taking the main trail, she guided the others down an overgrown footpath that snaked through the trees.  
"How come your art piece is in the middle of the woods?" Jack tripped. "Isn't that a little…I don't know, weird?"  
Kim flung a branch back into Jerry's face. "Yeah. Especially if it's so expensive."  
Milton was silent, refusing to talk about either his date or the incident that had led Ella to them.  
"It's a concept," Ella skipped nimbly along before zipping through a tiny gap in the bushes.  
The gang followed and found a clearing surrounded by lush greenery. It was almost totally bare except for a few large rocks and logs.  
"Is the concept called Invisibility? 'Cause…" Rudy's snark trailed off as a crowd in hoodies sprinted into the open.  
Scarves hid their faces and they vastly outnumbered the karate club. It was obvious from their stance and movements they were fighters.  
Ella smirked as she sat atop a large boulder. "The concept is simple. It's called 'It's a Trap!'"  
The strangers spread in a thin circle around the Wasabi Warriors, equally menacing.  
Jerry shook his head. "Nah man that's a terrible name."  
She glared at him before motioning to a couple gangsters.  
"Deal's a deal," she stated as a blindfolded Julie was dragged towards them. "Here's your girlfriend back."  
They thrust Julie into Milton's arms and he gently removed the cloth.  
"Milton?" Julie put on her glasses.  
"Dude, you betrayed us!" Jack hissed.  
"What else was I supposed to do, she had Julie!" Milton retorted.  
Kim threw her hands in the air. "You could've, I don't know, ask your karate expert friends to help save your kidnapped girlfriend?!"  
Jerry laughed. "Yeah that would've totally been better."  
"You'd think for a genius he'd actually have more common sense," Jack muttered.  
Julie glared at them. "Hey! I thought you guys were Milton's friends!"  
"We are, but let's focus on the problem at hand, okay?!" Rudy commanded. "We can take 'em! There's only about…fifteen…"  
Ella clapped her hands and roughly twenty more appeared through the trees.  
"You were saying?" She was sardonically evil.  
"Ya had to tempt fate, didn't ya Rudy?" Kim snapped.  
"Wait!" Jerry held up his finger, catching everyone's attention.  
He took a deep breath.  
"Where's the art piece?"  
Everyone groaned, even the goons.  
"Honestly, dude, how do you pass school?" Jack wondered in disbelief.  
"You should know by now the teachers just pass him because they don't want to see him again," Milton responded.  
Jerry snickered. "We have an understanding."  
Ella coughed loudly, cutting through their aside. "Ahem…hate to interrupt, but you do realize your current situation?"  
It was bad odds. There were almost thirty-five gangsters vs. one sensei and five teens. "Did the Black Dragons put you up to this?" Kim challenged.  
The girl laughed. "You don't seem to comprehend the magnitude of the situation. These aren't amateurish bullies. They're professionals," Ella emphasized.  
"That still doesn't explain…anything," Kim admitted. "It's total overkill. And last I checked, you don't have a reason for actually messing with us."  
Ella raised an eyebrow, scanning their group. "I see…Eddie isn't here."  
The name hung in midair.  
"Wait, you know Eddie?!" Milton was bewildered.  
She jumped down from her rock and approached him. "Yes…I do. You could say we're old acquaintances."  
Milton shuddered. Ella brushed by him, pickpocketing his phone.  
"Hey!" he protested.  
"Quiet," she commanded as she stared at the device. "Gangsters, do your thing."

The horde surged forward.  
Jack flipped past one fighter, kicking him in the process. Kim blocked a punch to her head and swept the attacker's legs, while Jerry ducked and swerved, throwing wild punches.  
Rudy dodged an ambush at the last moment to dispose of one villain (whose speed led him headfirst into a tree) before launching himself into the thick of the fray. Milton and Julie tag teamed to knock over some of their opponents with a rolling log.  
"Physics in action you galoots!" Milton yelled triumphantly.  
Suddenly, one goon latched onto Julie's arm. Before her boyfriend could react she rammed her stiffened fingers into the gangster's stomach. As he released her, Julie smashed her fist into his face.  
"Julie!" Milton threw a different thug past her. "How did you—?"  
"I'm Ty's niece, remember?" Julie reminded him wryly. "Even if I never formally learned karate I picked up a few things."

Despite the gang's heroics they were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Jerry was thrown into the air and now dangled dangerously from a branch. Jack got pinned to the ground while Milton and Julie were tied to a tree trunk. Rudy and Kim were still fighting, but they'd been isolated and surrounded.  
Meanwhile, Ella was playing on Milton's phone.  
"Nice apps," she commented. "By the way, you might want to change your password."  
"Hey!" He protested.  
Ella found what she was looking for and smirked, bringing the phone to her ear.  
"Hello?" She spoke clearly. "If you want your friends to remain unharmed, come to the clearing in the forest ASAP. Otherwise I'm not responsible for their wellbeing."  
She held out the phone to record the brawl.  
"Let us go you crazy bird!" Kim screeched, using a stick as a bo staff to keep the attackers at bay.  
"Then I'd lose the game, Kim," Ella ended the call. "And I hate to lose."  
Jack glared at her, despite being forced to his knees. "How do you know who we are?"  
"I always do my research," She informed him. "Eddie Jones has quite the loyal circle of friends. I'm impressed. I must thank all of you: Jack Brewer, Kim Crawford, Milton Krupnick, Jerry Martinez, and of course, sensei Rudy Gillespie," She bent in a mocking bow. "Without your help it would've been much more difficult to coax him out of hiding."  
Rudy had been doing well until he fell headfirst into a prickly bush.  
"This really hurts my pride," he declared morosely. He'd escaped the thorns with minor wounds, but they caught his pants.  
"Oh snap," He tried to cover up, but it was too late.  
Everyone saw his cartoon underpants.  
"I doubt you have anything left to be proud of!" Jerry's laughter didn't stop, despite being upside down. "Your legs are skinnier than Kim's!"  
"Hey!" she protested, momentarily distracted. In a flash someone wrenched her weapon from her grasp and she was pulled into the crowd.  
"DON'T HURT THEM!" Eddie stumbled into the area, tripping over the undergrowth. He was caught by Ella's thugs and set upright. They then handed his bag to her.  
"That was fast," Milton commended him. "Only about a minute and three point two seconds."  
Julie cocked her hand. "Uh, I calculated a minute and three point three seconds."  
Eddie stood his ground, his sharp gaze meeting Ella's.  
"So Eddie," She swaggered forward, his pack dangling from her fingers. "These are your players? It seems I've underestimated your judgment."  
Eddie's expression was terrifying. "Let them go. None of us are playing your games."  
"Oh no, Mr. Jones, you don't have a choice," Ella chastised, her expression darkening. "Neither of us do. It's her game now, not mine. And if we don't, you know the consequences."  
With another clap, Ella's henchmen retreated, leaving the gang warily surprised.  
Ella tossed Milton's phone at Eddie, as well as his pack.  
"We're on a time limit, and there's no extra lives," Ella warned. "You better win…I'm not your real opponent."


	4. Do You Want to Play a Game?

Eddie helped Kim and Jack free the others (and rescue Rudy's pants) before returning to the dojo. Milton had left briefly to walk Julie home, but returned with a murderous expression.  
"Eddie, it's one thing to pull pranks, it's another to get my girlfriend abducted as collateral," his friend growled. "This time, you better tell us the truth."  
"Well said, Milton," the sensei spoke up. "But Eddie, remember you're among friends. We won't judge you."  
Kim shifted. "And it's not that we don't trust you, it's just—sometimes you get a little over your head."  
"Yeah, remember that time you…" Jerry began but Jack elbowed him.  
"Dude, not now," Jack rebuked.  
Eddie sighed. "All right, all right…I'll try to explain but Juliana…this all started with her."

"She was really good at keeping secrets," Eddie narrated as he showed the gang a photo of her.  
"Wow she's hot!" Jerry gaped.  
Kim punched his shoulder, glaring.  
Milton pursed his lips. "So what exactly occurred with Juliana?"

Eddie's story began in earnest:  
On their third, secret date, the couple had attended an archaeology exhibit at the Seaford Museum. Juliana, a smiling, lovely girl with dark hair and dark eyes, received a text. However the moment she checked the message her grin instantly faded.  
"Is that your mom?" Eddie was curious.  
"No," Juliana's face was grave. Her long, elegant fingers typed a quick reply. "It's nothing."  
She took his hand and tried to smile, but Eddie hesitated.  
"I know it's only been a few dates, but I want to help," he said seriously.  
Juliana raised her eyebrows. "This isn't a play to become my boyfriend, right?"  
He laughed. "It would be nice, but that's rushing things. You don't need to solve all your problems on your own. You have me now."  
The dancer struggled to keep a straight face before her inner conflict resolved.  
"It's something from an acquaintance," Juliana shared softly. "When we were younger, we used to do missions for rewards. It was like Guide Girls for puzzlers. We had to figure out a cryptic clue and earn the prize…"  
Her date was puzzled. "But why does it make you so unhappy?"  
Juliana leaned back. "I quit the game when I left my last dance academy, but lately I've been getting strange messages. Someone wants me to do the game again, but I'm not sure why. I thought it was a joke, but it's not."  
"How bad is it?" Eddie questioned.  
"They've been stalking me," Juliana tapped her phone and displayed a series of communications from a blocked ID, including photos of her in dance wear, at home, and with Eddie. The messages were mostly threats and hints to get back into puzzle solving.  
"That's creepy," he looked around, apprehensive at the thought someone might be spying on them.  
"The text I just got was from my friend Violet," Juliana continued. "She warned me this person means business."  
There was a pause as Eddie took a moment to absorb the info.  
"So," Juliana chose her next words carefully. "Do you want to play a game?"

"What happened afterwards?" Jack asked.  
"I was doing my best, but it wasn't enough. Madame Riker broke us up before I could do much. I was completely cut out of Juliana's life." Eddie finished.  
"Well…then what did you get at the park?" Kim questioned.  
Eddie removed the envelope from the bag.  
"This was a…wait a sec," Eddie pulled out a sheaf of blank pages.  
"Whoa bro, paper! That's a real hard one!" Jerry remarked brightly.  
"Is it invisible ink?" Rudy speculated.  
The group held them against the heater, but nothing appeared.  
"These weren't like this before," Eddie stated with dismay. "They contained info on the game, I—I don't understand what happened!"  
Milton was checking his phone. "I hypothesize that Ella switched the envelopes when she caught your backpack, though her motive is ambiguous at best."  
"But that's my only clue!" Eddie was desperate. "My…contact was barely able to get those codes. It's my only lead to getting Juliana back!"  
A thought struck Kim. She reached into her back pocket.  
"Well, Ella didn't take all of it."  
Unfolding the sheet of code, she handed it to Eddie.  
"Phil said it was Esperanto," Jack told him. "It is, but even that is encrypted," Eddie was scanning hastily. "I think we can figure it out, if—"  
Milton's smartphone beeped. Frustrated, he lifted it high.  
"What app is this?" Milton frowned. "Incoming call?"  
"Well, answer!" Rudy insisted. "It might be another part of the game!"  
Milton swiped. "Hello?"  
Everyone waited with bated breath.  
"This is not the pizza place, you can't order here!" Milton snapped as everyone exhaled. The tension left the air like a deflated balloon. "Yes…uh-huh…bye."

After that interruption random conversation, the others were suspicious of both the call and the app. However, as it was getting late, they decided to split up to cover more ground.  
"Milton, work on cracking your phone," Jack instructed. "Kim and Eddie will try to decipher the info. I'll go with Jerry to ask around about Ella Wong."  
Jerry's shoulders slumped. "More running? Seriously?"  
Jack tried to placate him. "Jerry, you're a ladies' man. If anyone can find a strange girl, it's you."  
Jerry grinned slowly. "Well that is true."  
Rudy nodded gravely. "I'll try and find out more about Juliana Riker. I have a couple buddies in the dance circuit. They owe me one."  
Kim lifted her eyebrow. "Really?"  
"Okay, I owe them one, but they won't mind doing me another favour," the sensei hastily admitted.  
"Let's do this," Eddie was extremely determined. He threw his hand out and the others joined him. "Wasabi!"  
"Wasabi!" The gang yelled in unison, flinging their arms into the air.

The Wasabi Warriors got extra time for their side projects during the long weekend.  
Milton sat in his room, hacking the app. Julie was by his side when Jack checked in with them.  
"This is seriously advanced," was Milton's faraway comment. "Have you tried the Trojan modification?"  
Eddie and Kim decoded the Esperanto and were working on the rest. Using logic, they had deduced the recurring letters and were making painfully slow progress.  
"If my parents find out this isn't an extracurricular, I'm sunk," Kim admitted, rubbing her tired eyes. "It's a good thing Eddie already has an idea about the order of the encryption otherwise I wouldn't know where to start."  
Jack took her hand. "Just hang in there, all right?"  
She nodded wearily, then returned to her work.  
Jerry had to be woken up after sleeping in. He led Jack to a more seedy part of town.  
"These dudes are cool with me as long as you stay quiet," Jerry whispered. "Keep your mouth shut, okay?"  
"Are you sure about—" Jack tried to speak, but his friend shoved a finger on his lips.  
"Quiet you," Jerry hissed. "The adults need to talk."  
A group of kids were gathered in an alleyway. Dressed in leather and denim, they played cards, placed candy bets, and had wacky hairdos.  
"And the sugar is mine!" A tall guy crowed. Lanky with neon orange hair, he high-fived his pals as the pair walked to them.  
"Don, my man!" Jerry completed the bro handshake. "I see you're still cleaning up the competition."  
"Jerry!" Don had a superficial grin, his voice not quite as enthusiastic. "What are you doing here?"  
"Just trying to catch up with old buddies," Jerry was clueless to Don's hostile vibe. "And maybe some information."  
The last sentence caused a signal to ripple through the group. The three of them moved away from the bulk of the crowd as they continued their games. Don took Jerry and Jack to a quiet storehouse connected to the alley. A few of the heftier kids trailed behind them.  
"What kind of info are you looking for?" Don questioned warily.  
"A girl," Jerry winked.  
Don rolled his eyes, laughing, and his buddies also relaxed, smiling derisively. "You and your girls! You drive me nuts, dude! Is this the fifteenth?"  
Jerry smiled. "The sixteenth, that you know of."  
Everyone cracked up, except for Jack, who was getting impatient.  
"Are you going to help us or not, Weisenheimer?" He snapped.  
They all froze. "What did you say to me?" Don hissed.  
"Oh he called you Weisenheimer," Jerry added unhelpfully. "You know, class clown, funny kid, wise guy—"  
Jack punched him in the arm.  
"Ow! Why did you do that for…?" Jerry suddenly recalled his last words and threw his hands in the air. "Oh really Jerry? Really?"  
Don sneered. "You're dead meat, punk," he growled, winding up his fist. "Taste my wis-bomb!"


	5. TwoFaced, TwoPaced

Eddie and Kim were almost finished. They solved the word skip code, which led to pigpen, binary, some Morse, a sprinkling of Playfair, and the beginning of transposition. Unfortunately, that was where the page ended.  
"Good thing you have all these books on cyphers," Kim commented, sneezing.  
The two were based in Eddie's living room. His family had gone on an all day outing, leaving them in peace as they tackled the code.  
"Yeah, it took me a little while to dig 'em out of the attic," Eddie was positive, as usual. "You should've seen the dust bushes I dug them out of!"  
"You mean dust bunnies?" Kim wondered. "No, definitely dust bushes," Eddie disagreed.  
Kim sourly dropped the book she was holding. Unfortunately, this caused a cloud of dust to waft into the air.  
"Oh! No, I should not have done that," Kim sped to the edge of the room, coughing.

In light of the fine particulates infecting the immediate atmosphere, the pair decided to take a break.  
Kim sat at Eddie's kitchen table while he grabbed her a soda.  
"Thanks," Kim clinked her can against his and drank deeply.  
He grinned. "No, thank you. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you and the others."  
Kim leaned forward tentatively. "So…can I ask you something? Was your contact male or female?"  
"Seriously?"  
"It's been driving me crazy."  
Eddie hesitated, finishing his drink.  
"Um…I'm not one hundred percent certain on that," he responded vaguely.  
"Come on!" Kim exclaimed.  
"The other players were anonymous." Eddie was defensive. "Even Juliana didn't always know who was who."  
The blonde glared. "Seriously?! Not to kill love, but what do you know about your perfect ex?"  
Her comment didn't kill love, but it did kill the vibe.  
An awkward silence filled the air.  
"Sorry," Kim apologized first. "That was uncalled for."  
"It's okay, Kim." Eddie frowned. "Lately I've been asking myself the same question."  
"Can you tell me about Juliana, then?" Kim was diplomatic.  
A grin burst across his face.  
"She was…incredible," Eddie confessed. "Pretty, smart, nice…any guy's dream girl."  
Kim couldn't help but giggle. "You're so sweet! But how did you two talk, without Mrs. Riker knowing?"  
His eyes were hazy as he recollected the past. "Her favourite snack was chocolate almonds, mostly 'cause she wasn't allowed to eat them. After her ballet class I'd slip some in her bag with a note, or write on the bottom of a soda can. We had to be careful since her mom was around."  
Kim watched him carefully. "Was she your first girlfriend?"  
Usually Eddie tried to pretend he was a ladies' man, but today he was serious. "No, but I was her first boyfriend. It was a whirlwind. I learned so many little things, like her favourite flower was fuchsia, she loved purple and could eat chicken and cheese quesadillas all day long. She was also fluent in four languages."  
Kim was impressed. "She sounds cool."  
Eddie shook himself out of dream land. "Yeah…but sometimes Juliana would act like she was being stalked. She'd constantly be looking over her shoulder, terrified."  
"That was due to the puzzling, I guess?" Kim theorized as she finished her drink.  
"Maybe." He shrugged as he threw his can into the recycling. "Let's go. You think the last modification will work?"

"This doesn't work!" Milton lost his temper and banged the table, then squeaked in pain. "OW! My distal phalanx!"  
He hopped up and down, shaking his hand frantically.  
"Relax Milton," Julie soothed. "It's a flesh wound, clotting as we speak."  
The boyfriend slumped into his seat. "I know…but I feel horrible."  
"Not because of the phone, right?" Julie deduced.  
She deduced correctly.  
"What kind of boyfriend can't protect his girl?" Milton burst out. "I'm a loser!"  
She remained silent, only gently hugging him.  
The phone lay on the desk, surrounded by wires and circuitry. Finer metal tools were strewn all over, and the artificial light shone intensely on their task. Two computers were connected to the phone, which had its guts taken out with precision. A mini projector was nearby, but currently being unused.  
"You didn't refute it," Despondent, Milton stared at the ground. He'd been beating himself up over his inability to protect his girlfriend ever since Ella had grabbed her.  
"Milton, you're one of the kindest, coolest, and most wonderful people I have ever known." Julie reassured him. "It's not your fault! You were outnumbered, and they were trained well. Even Jack and Kim couldn't fend them off for long."  
The boy was still ashamed, but didn't stop her from holding him. He returned the embrace, leading to a brief, sweet moment.  
Suddenly the computer beeped.  
"We cracked it!" Milton ran to the keyboard, typing furiously. Julie joined him, focusing on the lines of code.  
"Wow that's an impressive design," Julie whistled approvingly. "I wonder how Ella got a hold of it."  
Milton nodded absently. "She doesn't seem the type, but who are we to judge?"  
Julie smiled before adjusting her glasses. "An excellent point. However, this seems to be a peer to peer sharing program, one that has been wiped blank. Not exactly sinister."  
He furrowed his brow. "Look at all these empty files. Call enabling, code scanners, list of contacts…"  
"Wait!" Julie saw something. "Go back for a second!"  
He entered a command, searching for the oddity Julie spotted.  
"Right there! Within the code!" Julie's eyes glowed.  
"A video link? Incredible!" His mind raced. "If we reset the parameters—"  
"Then enter a new chain, we should be able to watch it," Julie began a flurry of typing on the other keyboard as he did the same.  
Within a few minutes the pair gained access.  
Projecting it against the wall, both of them paused, gazes fixed on the clip.

"Fix the camera!" A girl's voice laughed. "All you can see is the sky!"  
The cameraman (or woman) hastily adjusted the angle, but ended up dropping the camera straight to the ground.  
"Whoa!" Julie blinked.  
"Vertigo alert," Milton covered his eyes.  
"Be careful," the other girl scolded. "This is expensive!"  
The device panned up to reveal a cricket court on a beautiful patch of grass.  
"In a world, where a dying sport is no longer relevant, can two teens revive it?" The girl imitated a narrator's deep timbre.  
"Of course, not original cricket," a dark haired girl winked. "But the EXTREME VERSION!"  
She threw and swung the cricket bat high, the ball seemed to vanish into the air.  
"How many runs?!" The camera girl exclaimed.  
The girl ran back and forth at lightning speed, when suddenly the ball flew back and hit the wicket, barely skimming past the runner.  
"Oh my goodness, are you okay?" The VJ girl ran to her friend while still clutching the camera.  
"It missed me by a hair!" The other girl's voice shook. "And look!"  
The force of the orb had caused the wicket to break into pieces.  
"Two paced…but not the ordinary kind," The VJ girl picked at it slowly. "It has to be her," The dark haired girl faced the camera. "That's Juliana!" Milton realized.  
"We're not going to let some stalker ruin our lives, got it?" The VJ girl was adamant. "Get a grip!"  
Abruptly the video feed cut off and was replaced by static.  
Before either of them could react, however, a different feed appeared.  
Ella stared darkly at the camera, causing both of them to flinch.  
"Enjoy the show?" She scoffed. "Do yourselves a favour and stay out of this. I'd hate for things to get messy."  
A phone rang in the background, and Ella picked up the call. She glanced at it briefly before glaring at the screen. "Let's not complicate this," Ella scorned. "I'm not the person you should be looking at. After all, how much do you really know about Juliana?"  
She reached forward and turned off the device, ending the video.

Jack caught Don's fist before it reached him. "You probably shouldn't have done that," he warned.  
Don ripped his hand away. "Get the brat. Jerry, do you wanna get pummelled too, or find the girl?"  
He was uncertain. "Uh…well…"  
His friend gave him a slight nod.  
"Uh sure, let's go find the girl, it's not like Jack is going to get maimed or anything."  
A resounding bang echoed as one of Don's friends ripped a rusted pipe from the wall.  
Jerry shrugged. "Naw, he's got this. Let's talk, Don."  
The two teens left for a small, dark room, while Jack faced down Don's friends.  
"Okay," Don opened a laptop in the dim light, running programs. "Who's the girl?"  
Jerry was entranced the blinking lights. Tall mainframes surrounded a tiny desk, where Don's laptop was. It was hot, and the machines whirred busily. "Uh…what?"  
"What's her name?" Don snapped his fingers in front of the other's face.  
"Uh, actually there's more than one," Jerry laughed nervously.  
The other guy rolled his eyes. "Dude! I just need a name!"  
"Try Juliana Riker first then," Jerry checked a small piece of paper. "After her, Ella Wong."  
Don guffawed. "You are looking for trouble, Martinez, but I'll do my best."  
However, as he began his search, the lights flickered ominously.  
"What the…?" Don began frantically typing. A chill filled the atmosphere as beeps and other sounds suddenly emerged, keening frantically like alarms.  
"Dude!" Jerry's eyes were about to pop out of his head.  
"I'm not doing this!" Don was panicking. "What's going on?!"  
Juliana Riker's face popped onscreen. "Stop looking for me," she said. The clip looped, the speed increasing. "Stop looking for me. Stop looking for me."  
The mainframes began to spit sparks. The lights blew out, causing them to duck under the desk.  
Smoke filled the air as she spoke a final sentence. "Stop looking for me. I know where to find you." Cackling, her face disappeared.  
"She spiked my system!" Don was terrified. "It'll take ages to repair all this stuff, that monster!"  
Jerry already stood and was dragging Don from the area. "Thanks man, but I gotta jet!"


	6. Warning Shots

Jack faced down the teens with gusto, kicking, dodging, and punching with combos that'd get him bonus points in Street Warriors.  
He flipped through the air, landing on a higher platform, but spotted Jerry run out of the building.  
"That's my cue! Until next time, gentlemen!" Jack leaped over his assailants, grabbed a nearby skateboard and sped out of there.

The gang met at the dojo that night discuss their findings.  
Rudy was sitting on the ground when Jack and Jerry entered. They were the first arrivals, yet their sensei barely acknowledged them.  
"Rudy?" Jerry waved his hand in front of his face. "Are you alive?"  
The man scoffed but didn't respond. "What's with him?" Jack wondered warily.  
Rudy sighed, then stood.  
"I'm forlorn," he said in a miserable tone. "FORLORN!"  
He turned and fell face down, kicking his feet.  
"I'm guessing you couldn't find anything on Juliana," Kim arrived with Milton in time to see their esteemed sensei throwing a tantrum.  
"Where's Eddie and Julie?" Jack asked.  
"Julie has to go to a neurology seminar out of town," Milton explained. "We forgot about it with all the excitement. She'll be safe but unfortunately she can't help us any more."  
Jack stared. "Did you plan that?"  
The boy rolled his eyes, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Yes, Jack, I definitely mailed a ticket to a neurology seminar to my girlfriend a few weeks ago because I knew that a crazed puzzler would come after us while we searched for Eddie's secret ex."  
Jerry nodded contemplatively. "I'd say that sounds legit."  
There was a brief pause.  
"Anyway, Eddie is grabbing some snacks," Kim went to Rudy's office. "It's been a long few days."  
The aforementioned teen entered with fast food.  
"They had a sale at the burger place," he enthused. "Let's get cracking!"  
He nearly tripped over Rudy, who sat up with annoyance.  
"Can't you see I'm being forlorn here?!" he snapped. "And—ooooh, is that orange soda?"  
Standing, Rudy swiped Eddie's drink and sipped loudly.  
"All right, people, let's get this started," Kim pushed in a whiteboard and noticed the guys congregating around Eddie. "Guys?" She sighed. "We need more girls in this club."

Rudy had been unable to find any suspicious data on Juliana Riker. (As if it wasn't obvious why he had a fit.)  
However, a search on Mrs. Riker had hit jackpot.  
"What kind of internationally renowned principal dancer has a criminal record?" Milton doubted his words at once.  
"Oh trust me, she's infamous on the circuit. Rumour has it she was charged with assault, thievery, and international espionage, among other things," Rudy assured them, his eyes gleaming. "It's mostly unfounded, but everyone agrees on two points: Mrs. Riker is an amazing ballerina and a scary lady."  
Eddie snorted. "Don't have to tell me twice."  
Rudy grabbed a marker to write down countries and Mrs. Riker's alleged activities.  
"While in Eastern Europe, she was also accused of kidnapping," Rudy raised an eyebrow suggestively.  
"Are you saying Juliana was abducted?" Kim was astonished.  
There was a brief moment of silence as everyone exchanged looks.  
"That's impossible!" Eddie refuted stubbornly.  
"Mrs. Riker took no leaves of absences that would account for a pregnancy around the time of Juliana's birth," Rudy stated. "And she was widowed at twenty-five…"  
Eddie's palm slammed against the floor.  
"She took Juliana?!" he was outraged. "But that makes no sense!"  
Jack rubbed his neck nervously. "It…gets worse."  
Jerry launched into his own account of the spike on Don's system, involving less technical vocabulary and more explosions. Jack wrote the details silently, ignoring Eddie's fuming. He hoped he'd calm down as they went on.  
He didn't.  
"Are you saying Juliana is a psycho hacker?!" Eddie snarled venomously. "I know her! She isn't the enemy here, she's the victim!"  
Milton tilted his head. "But you only knew her for a month. You can't have learned everything about her."  
Eddie glared. "Well you and Julie have been dating for a while, you know everything about her?!"  
Milton jumped.  
"Not cool, Eddie," he warned, his hands balled into fists.  
"Everyone settle down!" Kim ordered. "Especially you, boyfriend. Let's get all the info together before we jump to conclusions." Falling back, both boys took their seats once again, eating and drinking sullenly. The atmosphere simmered angrily.  
"What did you and Julie find, Milton?" Kim changed the subject.  
Milton glared before scrawling a long line of code. He threw the marker aside.  
"There," he spoke brusquely. "That's what we found."  
Someone was touchy…  
Jerry yawned. "I get you're in a bad mood, dude, but we need an explanation!"  
In short, concise terms, Milton outlined the mystery video as well as Juliana's equally mysterious friend. He concluded with Ella's ominous warning.  
"Was your girlfriend into cricket?" Milton asked briskly.  
"I…I guess, she lived in England for a while, but see? She was being stalked!" Eddie was irrepressible. "I bet the stalker pulled that stunt and manipulated her face!"  
Jack shrugged. "You're reaching a little, Eddie."  
He gave Jack a death stare.  
"But it's possible!" Jack hurriedly rectified. "Can you and Kim explain what you found in the sheet?"  
Kim sorted her notes. "It was an excerpt from the Bible, with key words changed. These words formed a message."  
Eddie glowered before sharing. "The words were: 'In times of the trouble, casualties' double. In times of doubt, refer to the fount. Count the times, find the rhymes. It's the foundation…' that's it."  
She wrote it on the board neatly, avoiding the other paragraphs.  
"Milton, can you shed any light on this?" Jack wondered.  
"The Troubles in Ireland," the brain mused. "There's a play called Doubt, and there was something about a fountain pen…I'll need to do a little research, but it shouldn't take long."  
Rudy nodded. "Okay, Milton, be careful. The last thing we need is Ella Wong returning with her army."  
The others nodded, but Eddie was miserable.  
"So either Juliana's a pawn, or she's been playing us this whole time?!" he pronounced bitterly. "How could I have been so blind?!" "We don't know for sure," Rudy tried to placate him.  
"Yeah!" Jerry agreed. "But either way we got your back!"  
Unfortunately, his encouragement triggered his anger.  
Eddie stood hastily, glaring at everyone.  
"That's the problem!" Eddie yelled. "You guys always bail me out when I'm in trouble 'cause I can't do it myself! Here we are again, and it's my fault! It's always my fault!"  
He stormed away, taking everyone by surprise.  
"Give him a few minutes," Kim advised uncertainly.

Eddie sat on a bench, a good distance from the dojo. Fury had carried him this far, but all that remained was disillusionment.  
He didn't even bother to raise his head when someone else joined him.  
"It's okay, Eddie," a familiar voice spoke. "I know how it feels."  
He wasn't even surprised to see her.  
"Was it all a lie?" he questioned. "Am I that dumb?"  
She laughed softly. "You're not dumb. Besides, you're still keeping the important things secret."  
He exhaled. "But my friends—"  
"Will be fine," the dark-haired female insisted. "But me reassuring you has a double purpose. It's also a warning."  
She handed over a simple white envelope.  
"This is your last chance," she informed. "Don't waste it."

Jack found Eddie sitting alone, the envelope clutched in his hands.  
"Eddie you okay?" Kim and the others found him. Milton was panting, while Jerry kept him on his feet.  
"I'm fine," Eddie said woodenly. "Why?"  
Jack pursed his lips. "Something's happened at the dojo."

Rudy was nowhere in sight, but the dojo had been plasters with paint bombs.  
"We were attacked," Jerry reported. "Ninjas with paintball guns."  
Eddie gaped at the destruction.  
"Rudy sent us after you," Milton explained. "We literally just left before the ninjas went in. We witnessed the whole thing."  
"But what about Rudy?" Eddie demanded.  
"We're not sure," Jack admitted. "We heard a few screams, but that was it."  
A groan filled the air. "Ow…"  
The gang were bewildered as a blob that detached itself from the wall, leaving a sensei-shaped silhouette.  
"Rudy?" Kim ventured hesitantly. "Is that you?"  
The painted man fell flat on the ground. "Warning," he said clearly, though he struggled to keep conscious. "That was the last one."  
The students rushed to his side, and Jack spotted a message among the colours.  
PLAY WITH FIRE & YOU'LL GET BURNED. STAY AWAY.


	7. Building & Breaking Alliances

Rudy was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The teens could only watch him leave with somber faces.  
The day's shadows had grown long, and the sun had begun to set.  
"They just made it personal," Jack growled. "Let's finish this."

An inconspicuous Ella Wong observed the whole situation, scowling. She almost swore before regaining her composure.  
"I was right. It's happened," she muttered to herself. "Better prepared."  
Suddenly the gang appeared around her.  
"Better be prepared for what?" Milton demanded.  
Kim snatched her phone while Jerry grabbed her arms.  
"Going somewhere? Doubt it!" he scoffed.  
"It's called a preemptive strike!" Jack was furious. "Now start talking!"  
Eddie had hung back as his friends captured the girl. Her piercing eyes caught him trying to sneak away.  
"Where do you think you're going?" Ella's voice penetrated the air. "Mr. Jones."  
Kim was frustrated. "This phone has nothing! All her contacts have blocked IDs!"  
Milton saw Eddie slipping away. "Hey, Eddie! What're you doing?!"  
The boy still held the white envelope, and the set of his mouth told them he'd come to a decision.  
"I'm sorry," he apologized with slight guilt. "I'm sorry!"  
He held his hand high and yelled in a foreign tongue, something none of them could comprehend.  
Smoke billowed, surrounding the group. Once the fog cleared, Eddie had vanished.  
"Eddie? Eddie?!" The Wasabi Warriors were almost frantic. They dispersed their cluster to search around the square, running around urgently.  
"Uh, guys?" Jerry was headfirst in the bushes. "I think I lost Ella."  
"That slippery little rat!" Milton exploded.  
"Kindly insult me when I'm out of earshot!" She appeared at his shoulder.  
"GAH!" Milton screeched.  
Everyone ran to protect Milton, but Ella put her hands up. "I could've ran away, but your so-called friend Jones did first," she remarked brazenly. "Somehow, I believe we both possess information that could be mutually beneficial once exchanged."  
Kim massaged her temples. "Get to the point, will ya?"  
"As long as Martinez keeps his hands off me, I'll stay." Ella's eyes twinkled darkly. "Let's have a chat."

The group relocated to the woods, led by their strange guide.  
They made it to a deep clearing as the stars twinkled in the night sky.  
"Why are we here?" Kim grimaced. "I got a blister."  
"Cool it, princess," Ella retorted. "I needed to make sure we weren't overheard. The night sounds will hide our conversation from any eavesdroppers."  
Kim was about to unleash a barrage of criticism when Jack stopped her.  
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" he questioned.  
In the centre of the clearing was a fire pit, which Ella lit in two short seconds. She threw a handful of powder and the flames flared high.  
The gang flinched, though Ella didn't even move.  
"I guess you'll have to trust me, Jack," she smiled. "Come sit around the fire. I've got a story to tell you. I call it…The Tale of the Cryptographers."

The Cryptographers were a mysterious organization that released sets of complex puzzles and codes via text. Those who were able to decipher and submit their answer received special currency that could be used for anything. Technology, clothes, accessories, you name it: they could get it. Through word of mouth the game spread in certain circles, and others began to receive texts. But as tit grew more popular, the rules suddenly changed. Before, anyone who decoded would be allowed to leave without any restrictions, with their currency rounded up for a final gift. Now, those who tried to leave were harassed, blackmailed, and forced to stay as the puzzles became increasingly difficult. The rewards system was abruptly deactivated, and soon kids were not only solving codes: they were running missions, doing drop offs, sharing information, and surveilling targets.  
They became teenage spies.  
Sometimes, we'd have to catch each other for an "evaluation." The person who lost disappeared.  
The Cryptographers then revealed themselves with a logo and strange instructions. The puzzlers were suspicious about their true identity and motives, suspecting they might be a government agency or even terrorists. They had united and resolved to find the truth.  
The teens actually got pretty the Cryptographers didn't take kindly to their former agents' prying. They struck hard, tearing the group apart, targeting their families, friends, and entire lives. Afterwards they were forced to leave behind their pasts, and a new game was proposed to them. The premise was a final duel where they could win their life back—but the Cryptographers held all the cards.  
They had no chance of success, and vanished one by one. That left only two puzzlers standing.

"Actually one, since I don't know what's happened to Juliana," Ella admitted. "I'm the last operative still out here. I was the best, so I knew they couldn't catch me."  
The listeners were rapt by her tale.  
"What about your family?" Jerry asked.  
"No family, no friends," Ella laughed bitterly. "I have no one. Ironically, that helped me escape the Cryptographers' purge."  
She poked the fire with a stick. "Juliana saved my life once. I owe her. That's why I had to get Eddie's attention. She loves him."  
Her audience was shocked. "'Loves?'" Kim queried. "Present tense? She's okay?"  
Ella's eyes were tired. "Alive, yes, okay, not so much. Juliana was taken from Mrs. Riker en route to her dance lesson, but she escaped. She contacted me about the game she agreed to play and begged for my assistance."  
"So where is she now?" Jack asked. "Why won't she meet with us?"  
The girl's eyes flashed. "That's the problem. She disappeared right before your dojo was attacked."

Everyone groaned simultaneously.  
"I suspect the Cryptographers coerced her into giving me up," Ella's face had a lean, hunted look. "In return, they'll offer amnesty. It is their most likely course of action."  
Milton was disparaging. "She can't actually believe that'll happen, though, right?" he stood straight. "These Cryptographers appear to have psychopathic tendencies, and one thing about psychopaths is that they love controlling people."  
Kim sighed. "Juliana's dead meat."  
"Not if we help her first," Ella corrected. "I have a plan, but I'll require your assistance. Can I count on it?"  
Jerry laughed. "Yeah right! Why should we trust you?"  
The girl's eyes flashed. She threw more powder into the fire.  
"I could ask you the same," Ella scolded as sparks flew. "I'm putting my neck on the line here. Besides, you already saw what happened to your sensei. Do you think it was a coincidence you escaped?"  
A hush fell over the group.  
"What about your goons?" Jerry's mind was unstoppable.  
"They were mercenaries," Ella glared. "They just owed me a favour. I couldn't ask them for anything too complicated without strings attached. That's why I only used them to get your attention."  
Jack rubbed his hands together as the teens contemplated. It was a daunting choice. The risks were high if they said yes…but even higher if they said no.  
"Either go on the offensive or leave this mess behind. The Cryptographers are unkind to meddlers, and they never make mistakes." Ella pointed out. "In the end it's your decision."  
They looked at each other, trying to gauge the general opinion.  
"She's right, guys," Jack admitted. "So what do you want to do?"  
Kim inhaled deeply. "We'll follow your lead."  
"No," Jack contradicted gently. "If some of us want out, I don't blame them. Right now, right here, we need to be dedicated…any half-hearted stunts could get us killed."  
Jerry hissed. "Are you sure we can trust her?"  
Ella rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm.  
"If you're going to be rude, do it when I'm not sitting here," she snapped.  
Milton frowned deeply. "I believe that if we stay divided, we'll be conquered. Our intel can aid each other in defeating the Cryptographers and rescuing Juliana. Eddie might need to be saved too."  
Jack nodded. "All in favour of Ella joining?"  
One by one, they slowly raised their hands. "I guess you're in, Ella, but you need to do one last thing," Milton hinted.  
She snorted. "Not that stupid oath!"  
"It isn't stupid. Maybe a little campy, but we take it seriously," Kim warned.  
Ella Wong briefly hesitated before sticking her hand into the circle.  
"We swear by the light of the dragon's eye, to be loyal and honest and never say die. Wasabi!"  
The Chinese girl almost cursed afterwards, her hands and feet curling as she cringed. "AGH! I've never been so embarrassed in my life!"  
Unbeknownst to them, there was an observer for their ceremony. Eddie watched, clearly conflicted, before melting back into the night.


	8. Preparations

The teens returned home to rest with plans to research the next day. Milton continued on his lead, while Kim and Ella teamed up to sift through the information she had on the Cryptographers at her place (though she swore she hadn't touched the papers that had vanished from Eddie's bag). Jack and Jerry went to visit Rudy and ask him about the attack, while Eddie remained suspiciously AWOL.  
"Still can't reach him on his cell, and his family said they thought he was hanging with us," Kim called Jack to update them. "I've already told Milton."  
"It looks bad," Jack stated. Jerry was elsewhere, inspecting a cleaning cart.  
"I know," Kim confirmed solemnly. "Don't tell Jerry. Milton's reasonable, but if Jerry finds out, he can blow this situation up in our faces."  
Jerry tapped Jack on the shoulder, holding up a blue wet floor sign. He wore a huge grin.  
"Definitely," Jack ended the call.  
"Dude, I found this down the hall! Isn't it cool?" Jerry laughed. "I've never seen one this colour!"  
"Hold on, where did you—?" Jack's question was interrupted by a loud scream, followed by a heavy thud.  
Both froze.  
"Come on!" Jack tossed the sign from Jerry's grip and they ran down the corridor. "Unless you want to get sued!"

Kim wasn't comfortable with Ella, but she had to admit the other girl was skilled.  
They were camped out in Kim's basement for the time being, since her parents were out of town. Ella had appeared with a huge bag, toting dozens of files. Now she was using a borrowed school laptop to grab intelligence from a Cryptographer data stream.  
"Won't they find us?" Kim worried. "I mean, IP address and GPS—"  
"I bounced the signal all over the world," Ella was typing fiercely. "Besides, even if they do I have a few tricks up my sleeve. It's how I've stayed alive for so long. Don't try to sound smart."  
Kim bit back retort as she inspected the list of personnel involved in the Cryptographers. She was impressed with Ella's thoroughness as she found the papers continued on, and on, and on—  
"Lots of important people," Kim noted. "Police, politicians, businessmen, lawyers, doctors…"  
"It's more than a conspiracy group, it's a network." Ella muttered. "My hypothesis is that they originally used the cyphers as a recruitment device. Once they had their fresh meat, they forced us to work for them and hunt each other down."  
Kim frowned. "So are they an agency?"  
"Of some sort," Ella admitted. "But their patterns resemble the mafia. I doubt they're governmental. Perhaps a private organization?"  
The Crawford girl nodded. "So what do you want me to do?"  
Ella smirked. "Take all this info and find a pattern."  
She handed her a stack of papers. Kim's knees buckled.  
"Whoa! This is heavier than Rudy!" She cried out.  
"Good luck," Ella waved sarcastically.  
Kim resigned herself to the dreary task as Ella continued typing on the computer.  
"Shouldn't you help out?" Kim snapped a few minutes later. "After all, you asked to us."  
Ella sighed. "I'm not accustomed to sociability. Once I know you can be trusted, then I'll aid you. I've learned the hard way friendliness will get you caught."  
The other girl considered this. "Doesn't it get lonely?"  
"If it's a choice between being alone and free or trapped with others, I'd still choose the solitary life," Ella remarked coolly. "I'm used to it."  
Coughing, Kim tried to lighten the mood. "Darn, drama queen much?"  
The Chinese teen threw a pencil and nailed the blonde in the head.  
"When your life feels like a drama, you accept it," Ella retorted. "I gave you work, didn't I? Be useful!"

Milton was having a video call with Julie. "Something weird is going on," he confided. "I'm not sure what, but the others are hiding something from me."  
His girlfriend shifted. "Is it about Eddie?"  
"That's a distinct possibility," the boy admitted. "They're scared I'll overreact."  
"You would," Julie responded.  
"I would not!"  
"Sacramento."  
The boy bristled with embarrassment. "We do not talk about Sacramento!"  
Julie winked. "We don't. But you admit you overreacted then, right?"  
Milton couldn't stay mad at her. "Fine."  
The girl giggled. "Anywa  
"Glad you like it," Milton grinned. "Love you. Have fun."  
Julie blew a kiss and hung up.  
Milton returned to his conspiracy board. He'd unravelled the rhyme in a matter of minutes, and was now attempting to piece together all the information they'd gathered.  
"What are you hiding?" he muttered to himself. "What's your game plan?"

Jerry and Jack snuck back into the hospital, dressed in scrubs.  
"Told you I could get us these!" Jerry boasted.  
"How do you where the hospital keeps them?" Jack wondered suspiciously.  
"I know a guy," Jerry winked.  
Jack rolled his eyes as they entered Rudy's hospital room.  
Rudy was unconscious, snoring faintly. The machines read him as normal, despite his many bruises and bandages.  
"He's asleep?" Jack whispered.  
Jerry slugged Rudy in the shoulder, causing his eyes to widen, his body tense, and let loose a frightening screech. He held back swear words as his entire body tingled.  
"Not anymore," Jerry said cheerfully before inspecting the room around them.  
Jack glared at his friend as Rudy readjusted himself in the hospital bed.  
"How are you?" Jack questioned, ignoring Jerry's whistling.  
Rudy coughed. "Everything hurts…"  
"Can you tell us anything about the ninjas?" Jack plowed on. Time was short, so pleasantries were ignored. "Like how many, their height, what gender? Anything could help."  
The sensei pursed his lips, thinking hard. "No, it was too fast…wait!"  
Jack held his breath.  
"There were… there were six!" Rudy spat out frantically. "But one of them looked like that scary girl!"  
Jack choked. "Ella?!"  
He nodded frantically. "She took off her mask 'cause I couldn't hear her clearly. I'm sure it was her!"

Kim was reading through the papers when she sensed someone behind her. She assumed it was the other girl and din't turn around.  
"Ella, I got it!"  
At that moment she was walloped over the head. The girl collapsed, her phone falling out of her hand, and the stranger declined the call from Jack.  
Boom!  
The Chinese girl bodychecked the assailant into the wall, causing papers to spill in every direction.  
"Kim, are you awake?" Ella shook the blonde wildly, but got no response. "Shiitake mushrooms!"  
The artist raked a hand through her blue hair before taking a blow to the face. She somersaulted backwards before screaming.  
"A-OW!"  
The attacker was much stronger than both of them. He or she grabbed Kim, lifting her in a firearm's carry.  
"Stop!" Ella latched onto the ambusher's ankles, prompting them to almost pitch the unconscious teen into the wall. The attacker kicked her in the head and took off.  
"Ah…" The remaining teen hissed in agony.  
Ella forced herself to her feet, despite her pounding head.  
"Get back here! That blonde is borrowed!" Ella sluggishly chased them into the sunlight. "Her boyfriend is going to kill me," she rambled. "Of course they're not exactly dating but I can tell there's something—"  
Starbursts of agony continued to cloud her movement, but she refused to give up as she chattered to herself.  
She was so preoccupied she ran straight into the street.  
"Stop!"  
Someone dragged her back as a car brushed by her, obnoxiously honking. Ella saw the person and gasped.  
"You?!"  
Her saviour placed her gently on a bench. "I know this isn't the time, but you gotta listen. I need your help. Stat."


	9. Mistaken

"How is that possible?" Milton was frantic.  
"I don't know," Jack muttered over the phone. "But I intend to find out."  
"Did you get ahold of Kim?"  
Jack spared a glance at Jerry, who gave him a horrified look.  
"We came to her basement, but they're gone," Jack shared, staring at the papers scattered around them. A laptop was smoking on a desk as Jerry dug around on his hands and knees. "And the place is trashed."  
After hearing Rudy's info the pair had sprinted to Kim's house to find the back door unlocked and the basement a total maelstrom. Kim had left her phone behind, and there was no sign of either Ella or her.  
"We couldn't tell Rudy about Ella's story," Jack reported. "Since she might be a traitor."  
Milton huffed. "Enough, we need to find Kim! Where should we meet up?"

Eddie was seething. He glared at the woman in front of him.  
"What do you have to gain by this?" He demanded. "Honestly? You've had me betray my own friends and don't show any guilt! Don't you have any shame?!"  
The pair of them were in a small coffee shop that buzzed with conversation. Eddie's cold tea sat on the table, while the person opposite sipped on an espresso. Her features were hidden in the shadows.  
She laughed coldly. "Dear Mr. Jones, neither of us are saints. There's no need to act self-righteous to my face."  
Eddie's fists clenched.  
"You should be more polite, considering your position." She reprimanded.  
"I didn't come to talk," Eddie growled.  
"Of course not! You're searching for your lady love," the older female mocked. "How romantic!"  
Eddie had a few weapons, but he didn't dare to use them. Who knew how many of these casual, chatting people were innocents and how many were the woman's backup.  
"Here's the deal," she cleared her throat. "You want to find Juliana. So do we."  
"I'm not going to work with you," he snapped.  
The woman leaned forward, exposing her face.  
"Oh no, you don't have to do anything." Miss Mohindra smiled, but there was zero warmth in her eyes. "You see, you're going to be our bait."

Milton, Jerry, and Jack were freaking out. They had run all over town but Kim was nowhere to be found.  
They were currently in the park, catching their breath.  
"Guys!" Milton called. "I just got a message from that weird app!"  
The three boys crowded around the video to see Kim tied to a pole, struggling to free herself. She was gagged, but definitely alive.  
"Kim," Jack let out a breathless whisper.  
Ella's face popped into the frame, a hood wrapped tightly around her head.  
"You guys are really stupid, you know that?" she chuckled. "I mean…seriously. Secret societies and puzzles? Conspiracies are so much fun!"  
Kim glared lasers at the other girl.  
"Poor Kim," Ella mockingly sympathized. She moved to tuck a strand of hair behind the captive's ear. Kim tried to head butt her in return.  
Ella hurriedly retreated. "I was just trying to be nice!" She turned to face the camera, her face solemn.  
"Here's my puzzle for you. Get your buddy Eddie and bring him to me by seven, or Kim doesn't make the cut."  
The video deleted itself immediately.

Utterly speechless, Jack punched a nearby tree.  
"Uh…Jack? What did the tree do to you?" Jerry cut in nervously. "Trees are nice. Photosynthesis and all that."  
Milton went into damage control mode. "Jack, we can fix this. We'll find Eddie and rescue Kim—"  
"You don't get it!" Jack exploded.  
The two took a step away from their friend. They'd never seen him lose his temper like this. He'd always been the levelheaded leader, but now…  
"Ella is playing with us like dolls, and all we do is get captured or hurt!" Jack cried out. "To save Kim, we betray Eddie. How can that be fixed?!"  
Jerry muttered something in Spanish that sounded suspiciously unflattering.  
"Guys!"  
All three swung around to see Ella running towards them.  
"What the—?" Jerry blinked.  
"It must have been prerecorded!" Milton exclaimed. "Now she's here to make sure we do our job!"  
Ella jogged up, ignoring the looks on their faces.  
"Kim got abducted," she announced without preamble. "But somehow it seems you guys have already found out."  
Jack snorted. "Duh. You did it."  
"What?"  
"You kidnapped her!"  
Ella was stunned. "Wha—I…no!"  
"Don't bother lying, we saw the whole video!" Jerry challenged. "We know you're here just to make sure we don't screw up!"  
She shook her head violently.  
"No…no, that's impossible!" she stuttered. "I was with Kim when she was being taken!"  
"Obviously! You were one of the assailants!" Milton accused.  
Ella turned bright red.  
"I am not a traitor," she emphasized. "I don't know what you saw, exactly, but it's not true! You have to believe me!"  
"Why?" Milton sneered.  
"Revealing myself, then waltzing right towards you as if nothing happened?!" Ella snarled. "Give me some credit, I'm not that stupid!"  
"It could all be part of your sick game," Jack coldly refused to listen. "We really trusted you, you know that?"  
She was struggling not to lose her temper.  
"It's…it's not true!" Ella almost cried from frustration. "I'm innocent!" "Innocent?!" Jack spat. "Don't make me laugh, you've done it before!"  
Ella paused in confusion. "Wait…what do you mean?"  
"Rudy saw you the day our dojo got paint-balled!" Jack yelled. "You threatened him!"  
Pure rage distorted her features. "I'm being framed, morons!"  
"I guess you don't have an evil twin," Jerry mumbled, eying her skeptically.  
"I've lived by myself as long as I can remember," Ella's voice had an edge. "I don't have anyone else I never did!"  
Milton scoffed. "So where'd your name come from?"  
"I don't know I just knew it was my name!" Ella roared. She abruptly stopped and took a deep breath, moderating her tone.  
"Guys, please, I don't know how they got my face, I don't get how Rudy saw me that night." Ella spoke steadily. "I never even went near the dojo, I was outside spying on you!"  
There was a moment of silence.  
"Okay kind of a weird excuse," Ella admitted. "But still, think about it! I wouldn't pretend to be on your side if I wanted to mess with you. You're all way too gullible anyway." "Hey!" Jack protested.  
"Nah man she's got us there," Jerry reaffirmed.  
Ella rubbed her temples. "My point is that it's a really idiotic move, thus not something I'd ever do."  
"You said yourself the Cryptographers don't make mistakes," Jack remarked hostilely.  
"Like I do?!" She shoved him.  
"It's not like you're perfect!" Jack pushed her back, equally riled.  
Milton leaped in between them.  
"Okay, okay, let's say you're telling the truth," he spoke hastily. "What do we do?"  
His intervention was successful, and the two hesitated.  
"It's simple," Jerry told them. "We find Eddie."  
"Or I find you," Eddie appeared from the shadows.

"DUDE!" Jerry enveloped him in a bear hug. "Where have you been?!"  
Eddie laughed awkwardly. "Around."  
Milton also embraced his pal. "Eddie we've been worried sick!"  
"Yeah well, you need me to save Kim," he gave Jack a bro handshake while extricating himself from the friend sandwich.  
"How did you know that?" Ella was skeptical.  
He shrugged. "You were talking about it."  
Ella refused to let it go that easily. "Okay, but seriously, where were you? The more you avoid the question the more suspicious you sound."  
Jack groaned. "Ella, it's still Eddie. He's our friend."  
"Your friend just dropped out of the sky when we needed him," she retorted. "The timing is too perfect. Why should we even trust him?"  
"Because you have no choice." Eddie pronounced ominously.  
A frosty atmosphere descended on them.  
"Eddie…are you okay?" Milton was almost afraid to ask.  
They'd never heard him sound so joyless. Now when they looked at him, really looked at him—a darkness cloaked his face, making him seem older, angrier, and dangerous.  
"Obviously not he sounds like he's dead meat, a zombie, a total—" Jerry got elbowed by Ella and realized what he said. "Oh really Jerry?! Really?!"  
Ella crossed her arms. "You see?"  
"He doesn't need to tell us everything!" Jack defended.  
She threw her hands in the air.  
"Imbecile! He's probably gone over to the enemy by now!" Ella raged. "He's going to get us all killed, or worst, caught!"  
"And how do we know that you aren't the traitor?" Jerry cut her off.  
Her face swelled, turning purple.  
"I think she's going to explode!" Jerry whisper-shouted.  
The boys recoiled as her mouth began to open and—  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
Ella screamed in exasperation. She clutched her head for a few moments before yelling.  
"That's it! I'm out!"  
She stomped away, but wheeled at the last moment. "Feel free to ignore my advice and walk into a trap," Ella's gaze was bitter. "I'm planning to survive."


	10. Rescue Revelation

By the time they came to their senses she'd vanished.  
"Ella!" Milton called.  
"Let her go," Jack advised.  
"But…" Eddie was ready to protest as well.  
"She needs to cool off," Jack explained. "If Ella's not a traitor, she'll come back once she's regained her senses."  
"Why?" Jerry asked.  
"Because we're her best shot of finding Juliana," Jack outlined.  
Jerry hesitated. "Then…what if she is a traitor?"  
"Then we take her down. " Jack's voice was thunderous. The others nodded in agreement.  
"So," Eddie raised an eyebrow. "Where are we supposed to go?"

Milton received directions on the app and the gang tracked it to an empty shop. Debris and tarps cut mysterious silhouettes, but strong support beams ensured nothing fell down.  
"This is where the video is filmed," Jack confirmed. "But there's no sign of Kim."  
"Au contraire," a familiar voice spoke. "I believe she's right here."  
Miss Mohindra was dressed in practical clothing and right beside her was…  
"Guys!"  
"Kim!"  
The blonde ran into Jack's arms, then hugged the others. She was overjoyed to see Eddie, and the gang babbled over each other as they shared each other's news.  
"Ahem!" The inspector, forgotten for the moment, caught their attention.  
"Miss Mohindra's in on this?" Jerry gawked. "Please tell me I'm seeing things."  
"You're seeing things," Jack spoke sarcastically.  
Milton was perplexed. "So is she on our side…or theirs?"  
"You seem to have made the wrong assumption," Miss Mohindra laughed softly. "I'm sorry I had to borrow Eddie. I required his aid in a certain manner."  
Everyone froze. "Eddie, what is she talking about?" Jack whispered. "It's…" Eddie met Miss Mohindra's eyes and faltered. "Nothing."  
"It doesn't sound like nothing—" Kim's probing trailed off as the woman stepped forward.  
"I rescued your friend from the abductors, and I have to warn you, they're not who you think," she warned.  
The Wasabi Warriors shifted uneasily.  
"Guys listen to her," Kim encouraged. "She's got proof."  
More confused than ever, they watched Miss Mohindra as removed a silver disc from her pocket. After pressing the centre an image of Ella was projected against the wall.  
"This is Subject E," she reported. "A few months ago she went rogue and has been avoiding capture."  
Another image of Ella popped up, but with black hair.  
"Subject A." Miss Mohindra intoned.  
Kim snorted. "Cliche much? Ella has an evil twin?"  
"More than that." She corrected. "Ella has fourteen identical sisters."

The inspector clicked through multiple images, confirming the presence of many, many different Ellas with different hair styles and outfits. Labels identified them as Subjects A through O.  
"That has to be photoshop!" Jerry protested.  
Jack hesitated as a short video clip played where the subjects interacted. "It seems pretty real."  
Milton scoffed. "The probability of this being a naturally biological occurrence is quite low."  
"Quite right, Mr. Krupnick." Miss Mohindra tapped her fingernails. "You see, Ella Wong is a clone."  
They barely processed this before she turned to leave.  
"Follow me. I can give you some answers, but in exchange, I'll be in need of your assistance."  
"To do what?" Jack challenged.  
She smirked coldly. "To find Ella Wong, of course. Why else?"

Miss Mohindra had a limousine waiting for them with an unexpected passenger inside.  
"Rudy!" Kim hugged him enthusiastically.  
"Watch the ribs, ow—the ribs!" he yelped weakly.  
He was still bruised and sore but obviously much better.  
"Rudy, it wasn't Ella who attacked you it was her clone!" Jerry shared excitedly.  
The man gasped. "Oh my gosh…clones?! Is this the Clone Wars?! Are we about to be launched into intergalactic battle?!"  
"Did Miss Mohindra bring you here?" Milton ignored his rambling.  
"Oh yeah," the sensei winced. "She got the hospital to release me into her custody. I don't think she's just an inspector, she flashed a card or badge and I was out in seconds…Eddie?! Thank God!" Rudy gasped with relief. "We were so worried about you!"  
"Somehow I doubt that," Eddie muttered pessimistically.  
A prolonged pause followed.  
"That's it!" Jerry exploded. "What's with you man?!"  
"I told you I'm fine."  
"Then why are you acting like this?" Kim implored. "Eddie, please…"  
He hunched his shoulders and remained silent.  
Jack assumed he needed some time, so he turned to her.  
"Kim, can you tell us anything useful from the kidnapping?"  
She frowned. "It wasn't Ella who grabbed me. She tried to save me, but she was outnumbered. Afterwards one of the ninjas revealed her face. She looked like Ella, but she wasn't…"  
"Definitely a clone," Jack muttered, his sense of guilt growing. He wished he hadn't been so harsh on Ella.  
Milton patted his arm. "It's okay, Jack, you didn't know."  
Jerry noticed Kim's confusion. "He accused her of betraying us, so she took off."  
"You idiots," Kim rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Miss Mohindra arrived and knocked them out, but by the time you guys arrived they'd vanished."  
"Miss Mohindra disabled them herself?" Milton doubted.  
"She had a dart gun," Kim explained wryly. "She told me about the clones before you guys came."  
"I'm officially declaring my brain is dead. My brain is dead!" Jerry sighed and held his head. "What do clones have to do with Cryptographers and Eddie's ex-girlfriend?"  
Milton coughed. "I have some information pertinent to that—"  
"Save it," Jack ordered, his eyes focused forward. "We're here."

The Wasabi gang entered a bright scientific facility, where people in suits and lab coats bustled and yelled. Technology and equipment were placed everywhere, neatly spaced, with chemicals bubbling and beakers bursting. There was an overall atmosphere of loud chaos as people moved with purpose, each with their own goal.  
Miss Mohindra greeted them as they exited the limo.  
"Welcome to Branca Corp," she informed them. "I believe it's time you learned a bit more about Ella."

They were ushered to an office with orange walls. The space was furnished with dark, straight chairs and a matching desk, located opposite from the main door. There were floor length windows on either side of the room, one facing outside and the other facing in. A black couch and armchair sat in front of a low table. Beside the work desk was a small counter with various drinks.  
Miss Mohindra moved to the side.  
"Will you like tea?" She offered.  
All of them shook their heads, watching as she busied herself at a hot water dispenser.  
"You're not just an inspector," Jack noted suspiciously.  
The woman laughed. "Of course not. Your dojo just so happened to be the location of a supply box, one the clones could access. I visited so often to ensure it was undisturbed."  
Jerry held his hands in the air. "Back up. I'm a simple guy. Start at the beginning."  
Miss Mohindra finished making her chai and sipped before replying.  
"Very well."

Project Klon was a program with the goal of creating copies of organs, tissues, and other important cells to provide for those who required them. It was a worthy aspiration, and that goal was soon achieved.  
However, the scientists discovered how to take it a step further: they were able to create a copy of a human being.  
It was pure scientific curiosity that led to the creation of the zygote. Then an accident occurred. The original zygote split fifteen times. Branca cared and tended for each one until their official "birth," and realized the potential of this undertaking.  
The project hadn't gone unnoticed. The law would've swept Branca away with convictions and sanctions but they were able to convince them to do business instead.  
That's when the objective of the program officially changed: to study the clones as they matured and see if they could be developed into valuable assets.  
Each were trained in a multitude of skills. Branca was careful in establishing routines and raising them in different environments. Their personalities and preferences were found to be similar, though with slight contrasts, as were their mannerisms.  
Of course, there are variables in any experiment. The subjects rebelled during puberty. They escaped our custody, scattering around the world. We chased each of them down, but they kept slipping through our fingers.  
However, our enemies were also after our Klon children. As a preventive measure we'd conditioned the clones to forget their origins if they ever left our premises. However, if they were captured, even studying their cells could lead to…unorthodox places.  
Branca Corp was able to reclaim all our clones except for Subject E, also known as Ella Wong. She was trained in visual and innovative arts, thus we were shocked that she evaded our people the best. She began to recover some of her memories, but not all of them. Ella became paranoid and avoided our reach. To recapture her required a more…creative strategy.  
We enacted the Cryptographer Operation with multiple intentions in mind, but retrieving Subject E was our chief priority.

Miss Mohindra savoured the last of her tea.  
"So who are you, exactly?" Jack inquired.  
The woman smiled devilishly. "I'm a specialist in infiltration and assimilation. Mohindra is simply one of my many names."  
Rudy's voice squeaked. "Great…just great."  
"And you're part of a private corporation?" Milton was skeptical.  
She sighed. "No. My current employer is the government. I'm here as part of our strategic alliance."  
"Great. So why are we here?" Jerry got straight to the point.  
"The Cryptographers' puzzle was created to initially relocate and retrieve the subjects," Miss Mohindra explained. "We also used it to recruit agents and complete other necessary tasks."  
Kim blinked. "So Ella was right! You guys were making teenage spies!"  
Eddie crossed his arms. "Then what happened to Juliana? Did you take her?"  
The woman raised her eyebrows. "I'm afraid that's classified."  
"Wait," Jack was skeptical. "So if you control the other Ellas, then why did they kidnap Kim? For that matter, why do you need us to help you find Ella?"  
Miss Mohindra sighed heavily. "I mentioned we reclaimed the clones…I did not say we were able to keep them."


	11. Informed Action

The Wasabi Warriors: Were Shocked.  
Reaction: Noise Explosion.  
Miss Mohindra waited ten seconds before letting loose a piercing whistle.  
"That is quite enough," she stated firmly.  
"Enough?!" Jerry was enraged. "Chica, you put me and my friends in danger because you couldn't control your science experiment!"  
"Clones are people too! You can't infringe on their rights like this!" Milton added hotly.  
"Those policies are still under development," Miss Mohindra retorted. A small expression of distaste flitted across her face. "I recognize clones as people capable of thought and that they require basic rights. Yet at the same time, they aren't real humans. They weren't born like us. These girls were grown in the lab."  
"Aren't you a moralistic paragon." Disdain dripped from Kim's mouth.  
"The clones were prepared for reconditioning but they launched a successful escape attempt almost a month ago," Miss Mohindra disclosed, ignoring their contempt. "We were unable to reason with them. They're extremely angry."  
Eddie glared. "For good reason! You dissected their lives! You manipulated their memories and mentalities! How could they not be angry?!"  
"I did no such thing, Branca did," Miss Mohindra emphasized icily. "Branca conditioned Subjects A through O long before I arrived."  
"And you want us to help drag them back into captivity?" Jerry scoffed. "Like we'd help you!"  
The Wasabi Warriors were resolute in their anger.  
"You seem to have, once again, made a wrong assumption." Miss Mohindra scorned. "Since I'm the only one you can see, the one who was ordered to reach out to you, I became the face of the enemy. Unfortunately, children, it's not as simple as that. I'm here to do my job."  
"Destroying lives?!"  
"Protecting my country," The woman was calm faced with Rudy's passion.  
"Whenever patriotism is used to justify cruelty, it's not right!" Milton burst.  
Miss Mohindra smirked. "So you won't help us? Not even to save Juliana?"

A siren blared, cutting their conversation short.  
"CODE BLUE. CODE BLUE. ROGUE. CODE BLUE. CODE BLUE. ROGUE." A mechanical voice announced.  
Jack plugged his ears. "What's that?!"  
Miss Mohindra stood as something slammed against the door.  
"Get away!" She warned. The Wasabi Warriors sprinted to the other side of the room.  
The office door exploded. Everyone ducked as wood and metal debris flew in every direction. A blur in brown sped forward and whacked the inspector with a long stick.  
Mohindra's eyes rolled back and she collapsed.  
The stranger was about to pass them when she paused.  
"Eddie?" The person whispered.  
He gasped. "What are you doing here?"  
The person was completely covered from head to toe. The voice seemed feminine but it was a mystery how Eddie had recognized them.  
"Follow me!" The attacker grabbed his hand and they ran, the gang stumbling behind them. "And stay quiet!"

The peculiar figure led them underground to an unmarked silver SUV. After boarding the Wasabi Warriors were blindfolded and warned to remain silent. Jerry tried to talk but someone duct-taped his mouth.  
Once they reached their destination, the group were rushed into a building.  
"Take it off!" Someone ordered.  
Jerry screeched as they ripped off the tape. At the same time the blindfolds were removed.  
Blinking at the bright lighting, the gang found themselves in a rectangular room with grey walls and a cement floor. Boxes and random pieces of furniture were scattered around them.  
Meanwhile, they'd been surrounded by the masked fighters in brown. One stepped towards them and removed her mask.  
It was Madame Riker.

Madame Riker's hair was still in a stiff bun, but besides that her appearance had changed. She'd traded her ballet shoes for runners and her cane for a bo staff. Still, it didn't make her seem any less dangerous.  
"Welcome," Her accent had faded since she wasn't screaming. "I'm sorry if I scared you, but I couldn't leave you in Branca's clutches. I was…not happy to see you, but Juliana would never forgive me if something happened to Eddie."  
"Hold your horses!" Milton screeched. "My brain's about to implode! What's going on?!"  
The others were in similar stages of mental breakdown.  
"Wait, so you're evil?" Jerry shook his head like a dog, blinking rapidly. "No wait, Mohindra's evil…then is Ella evil?!"  
Rudy chewed his fingernails madly.  
"I'm calm! Fine! One hundred percent fine!" he chattered with agitation.  
Kim and Jack were close to flipping but still had their wits about them. Eddie stiffened, an uncharacteristic scowl embedded on his face.  
Madame Riker levelled her staff at Milton.  
"You. Brain boy. What did the paper say?"  
He gulped. "Uh…the Troubles' official casualty record is 3532, then doubled, it's 7064. The fountain pen in the play Doubt was used to symbolize the rigidity of the antagonist. In the song by Bob Dylan—"  
"Get to the point before ballet mama kicks your head!" Jerry hissed.  
"Time appears six times in the song while the rhymes are in an odd pattern, there are twenty that are in the second, fourth, sixth, and tenth lines, while fifteen in lyrics eight, nine and eleven." Milton coughed, having used one breath the whole time.  
"So what does it mean?" Jack encouraged him.  
"7064, Hard Six, 24610:20, 8911:15," Milton recited. "We aren't sure about the meaning, but the last part's from an address."  
Madame Riker's face relaxed.  
Another teen rushed in, a girl in brown. However, she wasn't wearing a mask.  
"Commander, we've completed the scans—"  
Everyone froze. "Ella?!" Kim exclaimed.  
It was Ella Wong…except this girl had blonde hair in a bob cut. She stared at them, uncomprehending, then saluted. "I'm Klon 13, Mella," She introduced herself. "You've met my sister?"  
Rudy fainted. Jack's head suddenly ached. Milton and Jerry were already melting down. Eddie stared while Kim gave up.  
"Sure, why not?" She said to the sky. "I didn't think things could get crazier, then they did! Thanks universe! What are the odds?"  
During the gang's reactions, the older woman signalled Mella to leave for now, as well as the other guards.  
"I guess it's time you learned the truth." Madame Riker spoke heavily. "The whole truth."

When I was young, I was determined to become a ballerina. Both my parents were involved with the military, and dance was one way I felt I could be free. My brother followed in their footsteps, becoming a general, which left me to pursue my dreams.  
At first, everything was perfect. I became a principal dancer. I fell in love, and got married. I was happy.  
But within a few months, my husband was killed. Someone pushed him off a building. The police were convinced it was suicide, but I knew different. He had been murdered.  
I met with some of my husband's contacts and learned he was not a simple road manager. He'd been a secret agent for the American government, and I'd been part of his cover.  
That wasn't the end. My husband had been investigating a kidnapping revolving around a girl. I took over from him and destroyed it while searching for his killer. I adopted the child and named her Juliana.  
I became a part time ballerina, part time secret agent, and part time mother. Then my brother contacted me for help. He was working with Interpol and heard rumours about illegal experimentation with human test subjects. At his request I left the industry and came to Seaford to observe Branca Corp, while hoping to give Juliana a better life.  
However, my brother vanished afterwards.  
I discovered Branca was producing clones, and though I reported it, no one was ever arrested. I was ordered to give up the mission, and when I refused I was fired.  
I realized the government was working with Branca instead.  
So I rebelled. I pretended to retire while arranging for the clones' escape, and unearthed the data on the Cryptographer Operation. As well as a different project…one connected to Juliana.

"Branca has been developing enhanced humans for years," Madame Riker told them. "Some of their failures were exiled instead of terminated. Juliana was a failure…at first."  
"At first? What is Juliana?" Eddie demanded.  
Madame Riker watched him hesitantly. "She is part robot, part human," she revealed abruptly. "She's a cyborg."

The Wasabi Warriors blinked. They were no longer surprised by the sudden developments but this was really pushing it. "That came out of nowhere," Jerry remarked.  
"So wait, how did she evolve?" Kim scratched her head.  
Madame Riker sighed. "Her robotic parts were initially designed to augment her natural abilities, but they failed to meet the goal. However, after puberty Juliana began to comprehend things without having ever studied them."  
"That's how she knew four languages," Eddie mumbled to himself.  
She gave a curt nod. "Yes. She also experienced crippling headaches due to her robotic parts. I was able to recover Ella's sisters but Juliana escaped Branca's custody on her own, and is currently AWOL with Ella. I suspect they've partnered up to take down the corporation, but they don't realize how unmatched they are. They'll be trapped."  
"So what do you want from us?" Jack asked.  
Madame Riker met each of their eyes, resolute.  
"I'm sorry to drop the bombs on you like this, but we need to save Ella and Juliana. We need to destroy Branca before they destroy us."

Chapter 12: Calm Before the Storm

The kids (and an unconscious Rudy) were given time to rest and recover inside the clones' warehouse base. After Madame Riker covered for them by phoning their parents, the teens ate, slept, and mentally prepared for the battle ahead.  
"Hi," a voice greeted Jack after he woke up from his nap.  
He blinked. "Which one are you?"  
It was another Ella clone. (Although she should just be called a clone, since Ella's not the original model.)  
This teen had long black hair in a sinuous braid.  
"I'm Aella." She smiled. "Is it that confusing?"  
He sighed. "It'd be harder if you guys didn't have different hair colours."  
She laughed. "You're funny," she winked flirtatiously. "You single?"  
"He's taken," a quiet one scurried in, with a messy brown ponytail and spectacles. She grabbed her sister's arm. "He's Kim's boyfriend. Or he will be. I'm not sure if they're official."  
Jack thought about contesting that statement but decided to abstain.  
"She doesn't scare me, Bella!" Aella protested.  
"Who doesn't?" Kim's voice caused both of them to jump and scamper away. She watched them leave, staring daggers into their backs.  
"Are they all like this?" Jack wondered.  
Kim shrugged.  
"Their personalities are different." she divulged. "Some of the others are okay."  
The pair sat together in companionable silence.  
"Everything just got super strange," Kim muttered. "Within days, there was a secret organization, an evil corporation, clones, a cyborg, and now we're dealing with an international spy."  
"Adventure is always fun," Jack joked.  
"As long as we don't make a habit of this," Kim argued good-naturedly. "I'm actually craving some normal life right now."  
The two friends paused, mulling over the recent events.  
Jack grinned. "The moment this is all over, we should all go out—" he froze. "Actually, we'll have to finish all the homework we've missed first."  
They laughed lightly, and the future didn't seem so bleak after all.

Eddie had been avoiding his friends' questions about what he did for Miss Mohindra. He couldn't bear lying to them more than he already had.  
Eventually they'd accepted his vague explanation of something government related and left it at that. Despite this, the guilt was still eating him away inside.  
"So you're Eddie," a familiar, yet unfamiliar voice interrupted his stupor. "You okay?"  
He whirled and blinked. This clone had dark red hair tucked into a tight bun and sparkly makeup.  
"I'm fine, um…?" Eddie waited.  
"Lela," She introduced herself confidently. "I saw that look on your face. What's up?"  
He sighed, sneaking another peek at Jack and Kim.  
"I miss Juliana," he confessed.  
"And…?" Lela prodded.  
He hesitated.  
"Ever since this began, I feel like maybe I never knew her at all." He rubbed his eyes. "We didn't know each other long, and I guess not well, but somehow we had this trust between us. Juliana and I clicked. She got me."  
She sat beside him.  
"Even if you know someone for a long time, it doesn't mean you necessarily understand each other," She spoke thoughtfully. "My sisters can be distant. I still don't know what goes on in some of their brains."  
"What makes you say that?" Eddie stared at her.  
Lela met his gaze steadily.  
"We were products that were developed in solitary." Her candidness took him by surprise. "As you can probably tell, our personalities aren't the same. We have similar mannerisms and preferences, but we were raised differently. We don't remember everything Branca did to us, and frankly, some of my sisters don't want to remember. But it makes it harder to grow close."  
He shuddered. "That's terrible."  
"Friendship should be judged by its depth, not its length," She noted. "You were lucky to find someone with whom you have a mutual understanding. Even clones have a hard time getting along, so it's amazing how much Juliana trusted you. She must have a reason for it."  
He frowned. "Can you get to the point?"  
She giggled before laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.  
"Give her a chance when you see her again," she suggested. "Juliana was probably unaware of most of these secrets."  
He hesitated.  
"It's obvious she cares about you." Lela said. "I'm not saying you have to follow her around for the rest of your life, just…be ready to listen when she's ready to talk."  
Eddie thought it over.  
Lela smiled. "Any questions?"  
"Are you a therapist?" he wondered.  
She laughed again.  
"I'm good at analyzing matters of the heart," Lela replied before standing. "Nice talking to you."

Jerry was flirting with a few of the clones. They each had different hairstyles and colours, but at this moment all wore identical expressions of disdain. "What it do, girl?" Jerry sidled towards one.  
She punched him in the chest, green bangs flying.  
"Sorry, kid, but we're not looking to be in a relationship," she informed him coldly. "Ever."  
Milton appeared from around the corner, discussing seriously with a blonde clone.  
"That's why the theoretical manifestation of such an entity would—Jerry, what are you doing?"  
The Hispanic boy was gasping as he held his chest, but he gestured weakly at the green-haired girl.  
"Stop hitting on them, for Pete's sake!" Milton admonished. "You're not here to get a girlfriend!"  
"I don't even know why I'm here!" He erupted.  
A hush settled over the group.  
"Guys, can you give us a moment?" He grabbed Jerry and took him aside, assuring himself they had a small degree of privacy before asking.  
"What's with you?"  
Jerry swung away in frustration. "It's just…I feel useless." His friend gaped.  
"Jack and Kim are the best fighters, you're the brains, Rudy's our sensei, and Eddie's the main," he mumbled. "I'm a clown. I haven't done anything important like you guys."  
"That's not true!" Milton admonished. "You're essential! Remember Don?"  
"We found almost nothing that day!" He argued.  
"You helped rescue Julie!"  
"You saw how easily I got taken down!"  
"You're still better than me!" He grabbed his shoulders. "So stop with your pity party! You don't need to prove anything—you're our friend, and you've earned your place in the Wasabi Warriors."  
Someone sneezed behind them.  
The boys whirled to see a clone dash away.  
Jerry chuckled morosely. "She's probably gonna tell everyone what a loser I am."

In a very different base were two sleeping bags with two teens bundled inside them. The basement was cold and dark. A mini-fridge hummed nearby, while tools, gadgets, odds and ends were scattered all around them in no particular order.  
One teen rolled back and forth, wiggling and trying to get comfortable.  
"Why aren't you sleeping?" Her companion hissed at her. "We've got a busy schedule ahead of us!"  
The fidgeting girl sat up and turned on a small lamp.  
"Juliana, I can sense you're upset," Ella grumped. "But since I don't know why, I can't sleep. I'm not Violet, you need to tell me these things straight!"  
The ballerina chewed her lip anxiously. "I'm worried about my mom. She's probably going insane."  
"It's too dangerous to contact her," Ella reiterated hotly. "Besides, once we found out the Cryptographers were a big bad we knew we'd have to make sacrifices."  
"But I'm scared," Juliana reiterated. "Eddie and his friends are in danger, and it's my fault!"  
The Chinese girl softened her tone. "Juliana, it's not your fault. None of this is your fault, okay? We may not know much about Branca and their sci-fi projects, but we'll win. We have to."  
"But you still think Eddie's—"  
"I'd be lying to say I trust him," Ella cut her off. "But right now I can't trust anyone, especially since I seem to have a doppelgänger."  
Juliana hesitated.  
"Are you sure you don't have sisters?"  
Ella shook her head slowly.  
"I…I can't remember," she admitted. "I have these gaps in my head. Sometimes I get a glimpse, or a wisp of memory, feelings…but that's it. It's frustrating."  
Juliana nodded when a jolt of pain radiated across her forehead. "Ah."  
Ella scowled. "You're still getting those migraines. They've gotten worse since we've been working take down Branca."  
"I'll be okay," Juliana smiled weakly. "Just…let's get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

A mysterious figure with dark hair sat in low light, a blue hoodie tossed casually on a nearby chair.  
She tapped her fingers as she waited. One, two, three…one, two, three…  
She recalled the events from the past few days, being Eddie's contact, smuggling him papers, and giving him that white envelope. She wondered how much he remembered of their brief encounters.  
She'd had been watching him, observing him, as each new event threw a twist into his life. Eddie had handled some of it with admirable qualities, though he had failed miserably with other challenges.  
He definitely possessed potential, as well as enthusiasm. Of course, his skills could use some polishing, but that was only if he survived the next day.  
How could such a bright teenager have gotten tangled with such dark forces?  
She shook her head, clucking at his misfortune. If she wasn't a professional, she might feel pity for the oblivious child.  
A tablet beeped, and the adult reviewed it, sighing heavily afterwards.  
She'd received her instructions. If Eddie Jones was proven to be a liability, he'd have to be neutralized.  
One, two, three…It was as simple as one, two, three.


	12. The Calm Before the Storm

The kids (and an unconscious Rudy) were given time to rest and recover inside the clones' warehouse base. After Madame Riker covered for them by phoning their parents, the teens ate, slept, and mentally prepared for the battle ahead.  
"Hi," a voice greeted Jack after he woke up from his nap.  
He blinked. "Which one are you?"  
It was another Ella clone. (Although she should just be called a clone, since Ella's not the original model.)  
This teen had long black hair in a sinuous braid.  
"I'm Aella." She smiled. "Is it that confusing?"  
He sighed. "It'd be harder if you guys didn't have different hair colours."  
She laughed. "You're funny," she winked flirtatiously. "You single?"  
"He's taken," a quiet one scurried in, with a messy brown ponytail and spectacles. She grabbed her sister's arm. "He's Kim's boyfriend. Or he will be. I'm not sure if they're official."  
Jack thought about contesting that statement but decided to abstain.  
"She doesn't scare me, Bella!" Aella protested.  
"Who doesn't?" Kim's voice caused both of them to jump and scamper away. She watched them leave, staring daggers into their backs.  
"Are they all like this?" Jack wondered.  
Kim shrugged.  
"Their personalities are different." she divulged. "Some of the others are okay."  
The pair sat together in companionable silence.  
"Everything just got super strange," Kim muttered. "Within days, there was a secret organization, an evil corporation, clones, a cyborg, and now we're dealing with an international spy."  
"Adventure is always fun," Jack joked.  
"As long as we don't make a habit of this," Kim argued good-naturedly. "I'm actually craving some normal life right now."  
The two friends paused, mulling over the recent events.  
Jack grinned. "The moment this is all over, we should all go out—" he froze. "Actually, we'll have to finish all the homework we've missed first."  
They laughed lightly, and the future didn't seem so bleak after all.

Eddie had been avoiding his friends' questions about what he did for Miss Mohindra. He couldn't bear lying to them more than he already had.  
Eventually they'd accepted his vague explanation of something government related and left it at that. Despite this, the guilt was still eating him away inside.  
"So you're Eddie," a familiar, yet unfamiliar voice interrupted his stupor. "You okay?"  
He whirled and blinked. This clone had dark red hair tucked into a tight bun and sparkly makeup.  
"I'm fine, um…?" Eddie waited.  
"Lela," She introduced herself confidently. "I saw that look on your face. What's up?"  
He sighed, sneaking another peek at Jack and Kim.  
"I miss Juliana," he confessed.  
"And…?" Lela prodded.  
He hesitated.  
"Ever since this began, I feel like maybe I never knew her at all." He rubbed his eyes. "We didn't know each other long, and I guess not well, but somehow we had this trust between us. Juliana and I clicked. She got me."  
She sat beside him.  
"Even if you know someone for a long time, it doesn't mean you necessarily understand each other," She spoke thoughtfully. "My sisters can be distant. I still don't know what goes on in some of their brains."  
"What makes you say that?" Eddie stared at her.  
Lela met his gaze steadily.  
"We were products that were developed in solitary." Her candidness took him by surprise. "As you can probably tell, our personalities aren't the same. We have similar mannerisms and preferences, but we were raised differently. We don't remember everything Branca did to us, and frankly, some of my sisters don't want to remember. But it makes it harder to grow close."  
He shuddered. "That's terrible."  
"Friendship should be judged by its depth, not its length," She noted. "You were lucky to find someone with whom you have a mutual understanding. Even clones have a hard time getting along, so it's amazing how much Juliana trusted you. She must have a reason for it."  
He frowned. "Can you get to the point?"  
She giggled before laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.  
"Give her a chance when you see her again," she suggested. "Juliana was probably unaware of most of these secrets."  
He hesitated.  
"It's obvious she cares about you." Lela said. "I'm not saying you have to follow her around for the rest of your life, just…be ready to listen when she's ready to talk."  
Eddie thought it over.  
Lela smiled. "Any questions?"  
"Are you a therapist?" he wondered.  
She laughed again.  
"I'm good at analyzing matters of the heart," Lela replied before standing. "Nice talking to you."

Jerry was flirting with a few of the clones. They each had different hairstyles and colours, but at this moment all wore identical expressions of disdain. "What it do, girl?" Jerry sidled towards one.  
She punched him in the chest, green bangs flying.  
"Sorry, kid, but we're not looking to be in a relationship," she informed him coldly. "Ever."  
Milton appeared from around the corner, discussing seriously with a blonde clone.  
"That's why the theoretical manifestation of such an entity would—Jerry, what are you doing?"  
The Hispanic boy was gasping as he held his chest, but he gestured weakly at the green-haired girl.  
"Stop hitting on them, for Pete's sake!" Milton admonished. "You're not here to get a girlfriend!"  
"I don't even know why I'm here!" He erupted.  
A hush settled over the group.  
"Guys, can you give us a moment?" He grabbed Jerry and took him aside, assuring himself they had a small degree of privacy before asking.  
"What's with you?"  
Jerry swung away in frustration. "It's just…I feel useless." His friend gaped.  
"Jack and Kim are the best fighters, you're the brains, Rudy's our sensei, and Eddie's the main," he mumbled. "I'm a clown. I haven't done anything important like you guys."  
"That's not true!" Milton admonished. "You're essential! Remember Don?"  
"We found almost nothing that day!" He argued.  
"You helped rescue Julie!"  
"You saw how easily I got taken down!"  
"You're still better than me!" He grabbed his shoulders. "So stop with your pity party! You don't need to prove anything—you're our friend, and you've earned your place in the Wasabi Warriors."  
Someone sneezed behind them.  
The boys whirled to see a clone dash away.  
Jerry chuckled morosely. "She's probably gonna tell everyone what a loser I am."

In a very different base were two sleeping bags with two teens bundled inside them. The basement was cold and dark. A mini-fridge hummed nearby, while tools, gadgets, odds and ends were scattered all around them in no particular order.  
One teen rolled back and forth, wiggling and trying to get comfortable.  
"Why aren't you sleeping?" Her companion hissed at her. "We've got a busy schedule ahead of us!"  
The fidgeting girl sat up and turned on a small lamp.  
"Juliana, I can sense you're upset," Ella grumped. "But since I don't know why, I can't sleep. I'm not Violet, you need to tell me these things straight!"  
The ballerina chewed her lip anxiously. "I'm worried about my mom. She's probably going insane."  
"It's too dangerous to contact her," Ella reiterated hotly. "Besides, once we found out the Cryptographers were a big bad we knew we'd have to make sacrifices."  
"But I'm scared," Juliana reiterated. "Eddie and his friends are in danger, and it's my fault!"  
The Chinese girl softened her tone. "Juliana, it's not your fault. None of this is your fault, okay? We may not know much about Branca and their sci-fi projects, but we'll win. We have to."  
"But you still think Eddie's—"  
"I'd be lying to say I trust him," Ella cut her off. "But right now I can't trust anyone, especially since I seem to have a doppelgänger."  
Juliana hesitated.  
"Are you sure you don't have sisters?"  
Ella shook her head slowly.  
"I…I can't remember," she admitted. "I have these gaps in my head. Sometimes I get a glimpse, or a wisp of memory, feelings…but that's it. It's frustrating."  
Juliana nodded when a jolt of pain radiated across her forehead. "Ah."  
Ella scowled. "You're still getting those migraines. They've gotten worse since we've been working take down Branca."  
"I'll be okay," Juliana smiled weakly. "Just…let's get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

A mysterious figure with dark hair sat in low light, a blue hoodie tossed casually on a nearby chair.  
She tapped her fingers as she waited. One, two, three…one, two, three…  
She recalled the events from the past few days, being Eddie's contact, smuggling him papers, and giving him that white envelope. She wondered how much he remembered of their brief encounters.  
She'd had been watching him, observing him, as each new event threw a twist into his life. Eddie had handled some of it with admirable qualities, though he had failed miserably with other challenges.  
He definitely possessed potential, as well as enthusiasm. Of course, his skills could use some polishing, but that was only if he survived the next day.  
How could such a bright teenager have gotten tangled with such dark forces?  
She shook her head, clucking at his misfortune. If she wasn't a professional, she might feel pity for the oblivious child.  
A tablet beeped, and the adult reviewed it, sighing heavily afterwards.  
She'd received her instructions. If Eddie Jones was proven to be a liability, he'd have to be neutralized.  
One, two, three…It was as simple as one, two, three.


	13. The Attackers or the Attacked?

Madame Riker and clones had split the Wasabi Warriors amongst themselves. Milton, Lela and Bella were to steal all of Branca's files during the chaos. Jerry joined Aella and her two teammates to create a distraction, while Kim and Jack were the main offensive with Mella and three other clones. Rudy and another trio were the secondary offensive team, while Madame Riker, Eddie and the remaining two were to locate Juliana and Ella and get them to safety.  
"If something goes wrong, do what you must," Madame Riker's voice was controlled as she addressed the fourteen clones. "I am proud of each of you. You are all my daughters."  
Kim and Jack shared a look, similarly unnerved.  
Why did it sound like she was saying goodbye?

"I guess we'll see each other later," Milton said awkwardly.  
Madame Riker had discussed the numbers he'd found and swore him to secrecy the day before but the knowledge was killing him inside. He hoped they'd all emerge unscathed and he'd never have to tell them the numbers' terrible secret.  
Jerry was uncharacteristically sullen but nodded.  
"Yeah…good luck."  
Rudy glanced at them. They'd been equipped with lightweight black body armour and gear for each of their missions. He worried that the stress of the upcoming battle might degrade their skills, but chose to put a confident front instead.  
"We'll get out of this," Rudy reassured them. "Wasabi on three."  
They were tired and drained, but summoned their last remaining vestiges of energy.  
"One, two, three, WASABI!" The teens yelled.  
It was almost done. Once the gang had stopped Branca they could recover from the toll this adventure had taken on all of them.  
"Almost over," Eddie muttered to himself. "It's almost over."

At first everything seemed to go according to plan. Branca's scientific personnel were swiftly overpowered and locked away while their security forces were decoyed away from the main building. They were neutralized by the primary offensive team, while the secondary offensive crew cleared the way for Madame Riker's group and the information gatherers.  
But that's when things began to go wrong.

"What are you doing?!"  
Jack found himself under attack by Fayla and Ola. Mella, Hilla and Kim quickly aided him in fending them off.  
"Fayla, Ola wake up!" Mella yelled. "What's wrong with you?!"  
The girls didn't respond. Their expressions were blank, showed no reaction to being hit, and executed brutal combat techniques.  
Fayla got her hands around Kim's neck but she swiftly escaped before she could strangle her.  
"Run!" Jack shoved Ola into a tree, while Mella knocked Fayla over. The quartet ran from the wilder fringes of the property, retreating in a panic. "Why are they trying to kill us?!" Kim shouted at Hilla. "I don't know, I think it's connected to their mental programming!" Hilla hollered in response.  
"Then how do we stop them from killing us?!" Jack demanded. He turned his head briefly and glimpsed Fayla chasing after them.  
"They did all that stuff in the main building!" Hilla swivelled to the left. "If there's a way to shut it off it'll be there!"

Jerry nearly cursed as he tripped, shooting pain rising from his right leg. "Holy frijoles!"  
He, Aella, Nella and Celia had successfully completed their part of the operation (it involved explosives, dead leaves, nets and pipes) when Nella suddenly whacked Aella across the back with a steel bar. The girl had collapsed, and Jerry had turned to see Celia about to do the same to him. He'd dodged and ran past her, hoping to get away. Now both of the clones were after him, and he'd just sprained his ankle.  
"I'm so dead," he gritted his teeth. Jerry tore cloth from his t-shirt to make a rough tension bandage. Tying it tightly, he heard a branch snap.  
"Totally dead," Jerry muttered, testing his foot. He limped away as quickly as he could, remembering Nella and Celia's cold, dead eyes.  
An arm reached out and caught his shoulder. Jerry shut his eyes and flinched, trembling.  
"Kill me gently!" He begged.

Milton and Bella locked themselves inside a server room after Lela tried to stab them with a pen. Now she was systematically picking at the lock.  
"You brought your phone?!" Bella hissed as Milton removed the device from his shirt's inner pocket.  
"You said nothing against it!" He retorted.  
"'Cause it's common sense!" She growled. "Why would you bring your phone on a mission?!"  
"Julie is supposed to text me later!" He hissed in return. "Anyway, this could save us!"  
Bella groaned. "Don't tell me your friends did the same thing…"  
"Jack or Kim wouldn't," Milton focused on his contacts. "The others I'm not so sure."  
Bella rolled her eyes. "Saved by this generation's addiction to smart devices. I'll never live it down."  
A strange whine filled the air as the door trembled.  
"She's going to get through!" Bella cried out before leaping into action. She began rewiring the cables around them with a speed impossible to see.  
"If you get electrocuted, we're both dead!" Milton said as he texted, then called the same number.  
"I'm an electrician-mechanic-technician," Bella spoke without taking her eyes off her task. "That was my specialty among the clones. If anyone can survive this it's me."  
Milton shrugged, but the person on the other side picked up.  
"Lela's trying to kill us!" He screeched into the phone.  
"You could say hi first."  
"Hi. Lela's trying to kill us!"  
"Where are you?"  
"Third floor! Hurry!"  
"I'll try, but Lela's not the only one who's gone insane," Rudy hung up and ducked as a chair flew by his head.  
Della was struggling to save an unconscious Kela from Ila, Ola and Fayla, the latter two having come across their team while hunting for Jack's group. Now, they'd joined forces with Ila to take the others out.  
Rudy aided Della to fight off her murderous sisters, but they were outnumbered.  
"We're all trained in martial arts," Della informed him grimly. "And pain suppression." "As if this day couldn't get any better!" Rudy groaned. "Why are they doing this?!"

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.  
The clock persevered, unfazed by the invaders' assault.  
"Mental conditioning is an admirable thing," Miss Mohindra remarked. "It can get people to do things without even realizing it."  
She had a strange weapon on her desk that resembled a harpoon. Remaining seated, she watched as a mindless Jilla and Gila pointed guns at Madame Riker's head.  
"Rani, stop this!" She was tense, her accent becoming more pronounced. "This is wrong!"  
Miss Mohindra laughed softly. "Really, Madame Riker? You taught me to follow my orders before you betrayed us."  
"I never taught you to live without a conscience!" Madame Riker clamoured. "You told me you'd be working overseas before I left!"  
Miss Mohindra rolled her eyes. "You were fired, remember? Besides, I did go overseas. London is a beautiful city, you should visit it sometime."  
"Why do you want Juliana?!" Madame Riker cried out. "She is just a child!"  
The other woman scoffed.  
"Your maternal overprotectiveness was what drove her away in the first place," Miss Mohindra asserted. "Don't worry, my dear mentor. I'll take good care of your daughter. Once she surrenders herself to protect you, Juliana will be a great asset to the cause."  
"What cause?" Madame Riker demanded.  
"To better the world, of course," Miss Mohindra sniffed. "For such an astute woman you've been extremely obtuse."  
Something beeped loudly, heralding a computer monitor emerging from Miss Mohindra's desk. She took a look before smirking.  
"It appears we're about to have some company," she articulated with relish, then pressed a button.

Jack and Kim were just entering the building when their remaining teammates screeched.  
"Mella! You okay?!" Kim caught her before she fell. Hilla was already sprawled on the ground, convulsing.  
The girls clutched their heads in pain.  
"Get away," Hilla spoke through gritted teeth. "Get out! Hurry!"  
Jack understood at once. He grabbed Kim and fled as the clones' agonized reactions faded, replaced by impassivity.

Milton gaped in amazement. Lela had barely touched the edge of Bella's wire barrier before being flung across the room. She'd been knocked unconscious.  
"I got that power!" Bella grinned victoriously. "Pun intended. Let's get out of here."  
Bella undid her work and the two left the room, dragging Lela behind them.  
Milton ran to the computer monitor and removed his USB. The download had completed, and their portion of the mission was over.  
"Let's go—" Milton turned and froze.  
A gun barrel was pointed at his face.  
"Walk, or I'll shoot," Bella spoke in a monotone, her eyes empty. "Now."

Bella pushed Milton into Miss Mohindra's office.  
As he stopped himself from falling, he saw Rudy, Kim and Jack sitting on the couch. They stood when he entered.  
"Milton!" Jack rushed to his friend. "Are you okay?"  
"I guess," He surveyed the room. Each clone was armed with vacuous expressions and deadly sidearms. "Are we?"  
His sensei's brow creased. "Have you seen Jerry or Eddie?"  
"No," Milton felt his heart skip a beat. "Holy Christmas nuts, are they okay?!"  
Kim exhaled. "We don't know. We only know the clones got brain zapped. Some of them later than others."  
Milton nodded. "Yeah. Bella was fine at first, but after she knocked out Lela, she…yeah."  
"Welcome back."  
A section of the wall behind the desk swung forward, revealing Miss Mohindra.  
"As you can see I replaced my door. It's quite unfortunate you didn't accept my offer." She held her harpoon/weapon at the ready.  
"Where's Jerry and Eddie?" Rudy growled. "What did you do to my students?!"  
He lunged, then faltered after she aimed her contraption at his chest.  
"You don't want to find out what this can do," she cautioned. "Trust me, it's unpleasant."  
The others grabbed him and dragged him a couple steps away.  
Miss Mohindra considered for a moment as she pulled out her cell phone. "But I guess I owe you something, at least. Mr. Jones?"  
Eddie appeared behind her, absolutely miserable.


	14. The Puppet Master

Something was wrong.  
Eddie walked freely, staring at a tablet in his hands.  
"Eddie!" Kim nearly ran to him, but Milton stopped her.  
'It appears Mr. Martinez won't be able to join us," Miss Mohindra remarked, slipping her phone back into her pocket. "I overestimated his skills."  
"What did you do?" Jack's voice trembled.  
"The first group was ordered to eliminate you, but their orders were revised once the second group fell into line," She recited airily as she walked closer. "By then I had ascertained you were more useful alive, and thus removed that directive. You're welcome." "You didn't answer the question," He snarled. "What did you do to Jerry?"  
Miss Mohindra smirked. "Why nothing. I simply seem to have been too late to spare your friend from his demise."  
Eddie flinched, but the woman didn't notice.  
"No…" Kim's face was filled with dread as she met the others' horrified eyes. "No, no, no…"  
Suddenly the office door banged open, revealing a solitary figure.  
"Where is she?!" Juliana yelled. "Where's my mom?!"

She was dressed in simple clothes and a bulletproof vest, her hair tightly braided.  
The ballerina stormed in, her gaze fixed on the older woman.  
"I got your message," she uttered defiantly. "I did what you wanted!"  
"Indeed?" Miss Mohindra raised an eyebrow.  
"I knocked out Ella before I left," she scowled. "So what've you done with my mom?!"  
Juliana blinked, suddenly aware of the others in the room. She looked back and forth, taking in the sight of the Wasabi Warriors, the numerous armed clones, and finally, her former boyfriend. Her eyes widened.  
"Thank you, my dear," the woman was composed. "You made things much easier. It's somewhat satisfying when your target walks into a trap of their own accord."  
She didn't even react.  
"Ella?" Juliana quavered, then her voice hardened. "No. Not Ella. Clones?"  
"You always were intelligent," Mohindra nodded approvingly. "Of course, I owe a great deal to Mr. Jones."  
The teen lowered his head even further.  
"Eddie…" Milton choked. "You betrayed us? Why?"  
"What I want to know is for how long," Rudy muttered.  
The boy shuffled forward to face his friends.  
"Since I left that night…" Eddie admitted woodenly. "The night our dojo got paint splattered."  
Juliana punched him in the chest and he almost fell.  
"I was trying to protect you, and you do this?!" She screeched. "How could you?!"  
Miss Mohindra coughed. "As lovely as this teenage melodrama is, let's move on. Mr. Krupnick, the numbers please." "What?"  
"The numbers," She repeated impatiently.  
He hesitated. A predatory grin spread across her face. "I see…Madame Riker told you, didn't she?"  
The others were puzzled.  
"Milton, what's she talking about?" Jack demanded.  
He shook his head. "I can't say. The numbers are—"  
"Give me the numbers or I'll neutralize her," Miss Mohindra pressed a button and flipped her computer monitor to face them.  
An unconscious girl in a hospital bed was revealed.  
"Julie!" Milton cried.  
"She was nearly hit by a car when she returned to Seaford and promptly hospitalized for shock," Miss Mohindra elaborated nonchalantly. "Of course, it was no accident."  
A kind-looking woman entered the room in scrubs. She checked the machine and the IV, seemingly normal, but held a suspicious needle.  
"Withhold the numbers and I'll have no choice but to remove Julie from your life," She declared. "Permanently."  
The boy was paralyzed.  
"What are you waiting for?" Jack hissed. "Do it!"  
"I can't," Milton's voice broke. "Because—"  
"Once the numbers are entered into an algorithm chaos will be unleashed onto the world," Madame Riker appeared from the other room, being pushed by her captors.  
"Mom!" Juliana exclaimed. "What do you mean?"  
"Branca developed a potent computer virus to steal global intelligence," Madame Riker wobbled slightly. "It will cover its tracks by activating each country's military arsenal to target its enemies." Kim gulped. "Like…nuclear arsenal?"  
"As well as vehicles, such as planes and ships," Miss Mohindra confirmed. "The final calculations for the Anarchy Code were being inputted when they were stolen and heavily encrypted. Thankfully we recovered everything except one page. I would've stolen it, but Ella arranged for its destruction."  
"Why do you need me?" Milton's voice shrank. "Can't you recalculate?"  
"That'll take too long," she cut him off. "Besides, the raw digits are useless unless you know where to enter them. It's no good keeping them to yourself."  
She pressed on Eddie's tablet and the clones aimed their guns at each of the captives.  
"Now tell me the numbers," Miss Mohindra commanded. "Or I'll kill Julie. Then your friends, and then you."  
"Do not tell her!" Madame Riker barked. "Millions will die!"  
Juliana tried to snatch the tablet from Eddie's hands but he dodged her.  
"Eddie don't do this," she pleaded. "Whatever she promised it's a lie. She'll kill your friends and my mom! Please!"  
He avoided her gaze.  
Miss Mohindra tutted. "My dear, if he doesn't cooperate, his family is forfeit. Of course if you're willing to make a deal…I'm prepared to listen."  
The girl approached her.  
"Fine," Juliana spat, her eyes shining. "You win. I'll go with you and I won't run away. In return, you let them go."  
The woman wore a chilling expression of victory.  
"Very well," Miss Mohindra snapped a metal bracelet around her wrist and the teen froze.  
"That should give her the reboot she needs," She holstered her gun and stretched. "Cyborgs are so unpredictable."  
Jilla and Gila released Madame Riker and she ran to her daughter, the Wasabi Warriors close behind. Miss Mohindra comfortably sat at her desk and watched as the clones kept their weapons trained on them.  
Rudy choked. "Her face!"  
Juliana's irises were a strange electronic blue, blinking on and off. Microcircuitry flashed from under her skin as her body twitched with small, tiny jerks.  
Kim reached out cautiously.  
"I'd advise against touching her," Mohindra warned. "Unless you want to wipe her brain, but I've gone to an awful lot of trouble to recover her without damage."  
Kim snapped back as if she'd been stung.  
"Why was Juliana so important?" Milton demanded. "Why do all this just for one cyborg?"  
She blinked. "Any good plan can have more than a singular goal, though she was my primary objective. I was also tasked to reclaim Project Klon and complete the Anarchy Code." She smirked. "Planting the conditioned clones in Madame Riker's care was child's play. They made perfect sleeper agents, attacking your dojo, kidnapping Miss Crawford, and almost annihilating you earlier."  
"She's telling us her whole plan," Jack whispered tersely. "That means she's going to kill us, right?"  
"Most likely," Madame Riker confirmed, never taking her eyes off her daughter.  
"You're a psychopath!" Milton spat.  
Miss Mohindra laughed. "Took you long enough to realize. Am I supposed to be shocked? Stricken by conscience? Please." She stared at him. "Now tell me those numbers like a good boy, or else someone will have to die."  
Eddie hadn't moved from his spot, and no one looked at him. The Wasabi Warriors were still too stunned at Jerry's apparent passing and the hopeless situation to dwell on his betrayal.  
He'd always been a less impactful character, probably due to the lack of a clear role. Rudy was the zany yet kind teacher, Jack the heroic leader, Kim the strong female, Milton the intellectual, and Jerry the slower minded jokester/dancer.  
So who was he?  
Their heart.  
Without his presence, the whole team would be hollow. But while he was okay with his position, it meant he never got the spotlight. His job was to support, and that's why everyone diminished his actual importance. They forgot that without the heart they couldn't be alive.  
However, today things were about to change.  
No one knew it, but today, Eddie Jones was going to be the hero.


	15. The Final Showdown

Suddenly the intercom crackled and a familiar tune began to play throughout the building.  
"What…" Jack narrowed his eyes. "'The Final Countdown?' Seriously?"  
"This is my jam!" Kim whisper-shouted, restraining herself from her usual moves.  
Miss Mohindra stood again, wary.  
"What subterfuge is this, Madame Riker?" She demanded, one hand on her gun.  
The other woman was just as puzzled. "This is not my doing."  
"I hate to break this to you…" Eddie was hesitant, but a mischievous smile appeared. "It's mine."  
One of the clones, Celia, spun, shooting Miss Mohindra. The woman dove to the left but the bullet still hit her in the arm.  
Eddie pressed a button on the tablet and the other clones dropped their weapons, holding their heads. The girls stared at each other in confusion.  
"You fool," Miss Mohindra snarled, her uninjured arm holding her phone to her ear. "You've condemned your loved ones!"  
"I'll be taking that," Ella appeared and snatched the device, crushing it under her foot. She winked at the others. "Don't worry. I got this."  
The woman ran to retreat through the back door but found herself face to face with Jerry Martinez.  
"You really thought a few crazy girls could get rid of me?" He quipped.  
Despite her injury, she was still spry. She immediately attacked him, but he dodged and swept his leg under her. The woman leaped to her feet and rained down punches, kicks, and blows, but Jerry was able to block and counter until he punched her in the face, causing her to pass out.  
Miss Mohindra crashed to the floor, totally K.O.'ed.  
"Sorry!" He apologized. "Of course you were trying to kill us so, not sorry!"  
Kim threw herself across the room.  
"JERRY!" She hugged him. "You're alive!"  
"Only thanks to me," Ella informed her before saluting Eddie. "Nice work," She told him. "Aella recovered Lela and Kela. Your family was moved to the secure location."  
Jerry found himself engulfed in a group hug as Jack, Milton, and Rudy joined Kim.  
"Guys…" He wheezed. "I can't breathe…"  
They finally released him. "How did you escape?" Jack demanded. "Mohindra said they killed you!"  
Jerry snorted. "And you believed her? Aren't I supposed to be the gullible one?"  
Celia, Ella, and Madame Riker were gathered around Juliana. Eddie clasped Jerry's hand warmly before joining them.  
"Can we stop it?" Madame Riker asked urgently. "Girls! Tech and bio personnel, now!"  
Several of the clones joined her while the rest of the Wasabi gang were listening to Jerry's story.

"I saw Celia coming towards me with a branch and ran for it, but she wasn't mind controlled at that point," Jerry explained. "Aella was playing dead when Nella hit her with a pipe."  
Milton sputtered. "She should've been dead!"  
"Nella didn't hit her properly," He cut in. "But her back's really sore. Anyway, Nella took off after me, and Ella found us then. She told Celia to pretend to be mind zapped and gave her a jamming thingy so it wouldn't affect her. Afterwards she circled around and rescued me before," Jerry sliced his neck with his hand. "You know."  
"Wait, wait, wait!" Jack interrupted. "So what happened to you afterwards?"  
"Oh, Ella bandaged my ankle because I sprained it a bit and we hooked up the music," Jerry grinned. "We also grabbed some useful stuff too. Did I mention we sent Aella, Lela and Kela to rescue Eddie's family? I don't know how, but that girl's got an amazing sense of timing."  
Ella was in the process of sorting out the "useful stuff" to try to stop Juliana's reboot as the epic BGM continued.  
"Her migraines," she inquired urgently, concentrating on the gadgets. "Does anyone know what they were?"  
Della frowned. "It was probably Branca's remote virus program, trying to hack into her system. I remember reading about it."  
"Guys hurry!" Bella had connected a handheld monitor to a port in Juliana's arm. "We need to stop it before it resets her memory!"  
Ella hesitated before deciding.  
"Try this!" She held up a round, silver object without looking, focused on sorting the mess on the floor.  
The clones hesitated and looked to Madame Riker. "I'll do it." The woman snatched the disc and pressed it against Juliana's neck.  
The rebooting stopped abruptly and she began to collapse, but Eddie caught her before she hit the ground.  
"Did we do it?" Ella voiced thinly.  
"I guess we'll find out later," Celia said wearily. "Her brain might need some time to reconnect."  
Ella stood again, looking at the other girls who shared her face.  
"It's different from hearing I have clones and actually seeing it," She muttered in amazement.  
"Do you still not remember?" Della asked with concern.  
"It's a bit blurry, but…" Ella's brow furrowed before her head snapped up. "We should destroy the labs. Personally I don't think any of us want Branca to rebuild."  
"What about our mental conditioning?" Ola shuddered. "How are we going to remove it?"  
Ella smirked. "I know someone," she said confidentially. "Once this place is destroyed, she'll be happy to help."

The Wasabi gang headed back to the warehouse with Juliana and Madame Riker while the clones happily demolished the complex.  
They entered and collapsed on battered furniture, exhausted. Madame Riker took Juliana into a bedroom to recover, closing the door behind her.  
"Good thing we got all the humans out," Jerry muttered, yawning. "Except for Mohindra."  
Miss Mohindra had been left behind while they'd moved people out of the buildings before the clones' romp of destruction. When they'd returned for her unconscious body they'd discovered she'd vanished, leaving behind only a few drops of blood.  
"Won't we get in trouble since she's working for the government?" Jack wondered.  
"Actually, Rani Mohindra has been exposed as working for an independent party," an unfamiliar voice called out. "The government has denied all ties to Branca Corp and Interpol is working to arrest its operatives."  
Everyone jumped back to their feet in alarm, but Eddie was the fastest. He sprinted over to the figure that just entered the room.  
"Violet!" He hugged the shorter Jamaican woman. "You made it!"  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Violet spoke warmly, her accented voice deep and musical. She wore a blue hoodie that was somewhat familiar to the others.  
"Wait…" Rudy realized. "It was you that day in the park!"  
Violet bowed slightly. "I'm honoured you remember me."  
"Eddie, explain," Milton groaned desperately. "My head's gonna explode."

Eddie revealed Violet had risked her life stealing the Anarchy Code and smuggling it to him. Though Ella had stolen the papers, she in turn had it stolen from her by Branca before she deduced what it was.  
Violet had approached him the day their dojo was attacked to offer him a proposal, one he'd previously refused. She was prepared to wipe Branca from the face of the earth, but needed his help. Though Eddie wasn't sure if he could trust her, especially since he was doubting Juliana. He'd decided to risk everything and join her plot.  
Violet had given him a white envelope containing a message from Miss Mohindra, who schemed to manipulate him.  
Eddie pretended to go along with Mohindra's goons, who'd arranged to help him disappear that day. He infiltrated Branca and learned Mohindra had taken his family hostage. The boy contacted Violet about it and she'd promised to keep them safe. In return, he would have to get ahold of the mental controller for the clones.  
Eddie succeeded without difficulty, as Miss Mohindra took sadistic pleasure in forcing him to enable the clones' "killer" selves. Violet had also met with Ella and assigned her part, telling her about her clone duplicates and warning her about Mohindra's endgame. Ella had pretended to be unconscious when Juliana attacked her.  
Fortunately, Violet had deduced their opponent's moves perfectly, and when Ella ran into Jerry, she decided Jerry would be useful and recruited him for the stratagem, as well as Celia.  
The pair had awoken the unconscious clones with smelling salts and sent them to secure the Jones family. They'd texted Ella once they'd done so, and that's when the two of them turned on the music. The Final Countdown was Eddie's cue that his family was safe so he could deactivate the link between Branca and the clones. Violet had also told Ella where she could find the scrambler to stop Juliana's reboot, though the girl had grabbed a few "other" things along the way.

"Wait, so why are you here?" Kim viewed her with suspicion.  
Violet hesitated. "My daughter was Juliana's friend," Violet spoke carefully. "They played cricket together."  
Milton's eyes widened. "That's her voice in the video! She doesn't have an accent though."  
Violet shrugged. "Canadian father. Her name is also Violet, but she goes by Vi now. We heard there might be trouble, and—" She hesitated. "I came to help."  
"You come to clean up," Madame Riker's voice was reproachful. No one had noticed she'd exited Juliana's room. "You don't help."


	16. So Long, Farewell

Madame Riker was glaring at Violet Senior.  
"Uh…Madame Riker?" Jack spoke cautiously. "With all due respect, without her, it seems we would've died."  
"It's true," Eddie confirmed. "Without Violet I would've never succeeded."  
"Why are you really here?" The woman kept her words clipped.  
Violet paused. "I was ordered to shut down Branca's home base."  
"So you got us to do the work for you?" Ella appeared at the door, eying her suspiciously. The other clones were right behind her, standing in an orderly group.  
"I couldn't do it alone," Violet shrugged. "That's why I enlisted Eddie. I was impressed with his work."  
Jerry moaned. "You sound like my math teacher. Were you giving us a test?"  
The woman smiled. "Yes."  
Everyone groaned and Kim snapped. "Jerry!"  
"I was kidding!" Jerry raised his hands defensively.  
"Eddie Jones, Juliana Riker, and the Klon sisters all proved themselves more than capable to my assessment standards," Violet continued airily. "I was quite glad you succeeded. If you hadn't, it wouldn't have been…pleasant."  
A chill settled in the atmosphere.  
"What were you assessing us for?" Ella had folded her arms.  
Her eyes narrowed. "Why doesn't Mr. Krupnick enlighten you to the greater threat?"  
Milton swallowed nervously as all eyes turned on him.  
"Wait, wait, wait, I didn't know it was true!" He protested.  
"What was true?" Rudy hit his shoulder. "Spill it!"  
The boy swallowed. "According to some trash files I saw, Branca was in the process of transferring out of the country."  
"Where?" Eddie demanded.  
"I don't know!" He sputtered.  
"Europe," Violet's clear voice. "Branca's worldwide."  
"Great," Ella rolled her eyes. "So they're going to come after us again?"  
"Perhaps," She said calmly. "But I'm here to make an offer."

Madame Riker silenced Violet and sent everyone to rest, despite the curious teens' protests. It had been a hard battle for all of them, especially since they'd been losing sleep these past few days in preparation for the mission.  
They focused on resting for two days, and there was no official talk about Violet's offer as Madame Riker tended to her daughter's bedside.  
Meanwhile, Violet caught whoever was awake between the hours and told them her proposal, including the Wasabi Warriors.

"Can you believe this?!" Kim was angry.  
It was Day 2 in the afternoon and the whole gang was chilling/relaxing after lunch.  
"I know! The stock price of Branca just jumped three points!" Jerry had been staring at his cell phone.  
Everyone froze.  
"You're into stocks?" Milton emphasized each word in disbelief.  
Jerry shrugged. "What? It's not the weirdest thing about me."  
"That's true," Rudy interrupted. "Don't ask for details." Jack had been lying flat on the couch, but raised his head to blearily stare at the blonde. "What?"  
"I don't want to move!" Kim ranted.  
Violet's offer was a mixture of persuasion and real facts. She'd explained as long as Branca was active, they were all in danger. Violet belonged to a secret organization that focused on neutralizing global threats. They'd formed recently and were in need of agents for covert ops. If they joined Violet's organization, they'd not only be protected, they'd be able to take an active part in destroying the company that was hunting them.  
"Then we don't have to," Rudy reassured her.  
Eddie looked at her but said nothing.

"You're sure?"  
In a couple days, the Klon sisters and the Rikers would be leaving for London with Violet. The Wasabi Warriors had elected to stay behind, but—  
"I was involved in this much more than any of you," Eddie explained, his eyes lowered. "I want to protect you—"  
"That doesn't mean you'll be able to from another continent," Jack protested.  
"But that's only part of it," Eddie met his gaze. "Jack…I'm tired of being just one of the gang. I need to find out who I am and if I stay here, I don't know if I ever will."  
"Eddie, it's not like that!" Kim tried to argue.  
"It is," He replied, gently smiling. "You all have strong personalities, and I get overshadowed by them. It's not your fault. Besides sometimes change is good for you." His expression changed. "And…I should be there when Juliana wakes up."  
Milton hesitated. "What if she doesn't remember you?" "Then we'll make new memories," Eddie stated firmly. "Together."  
He felt tears prickling his eyelids.  
"I wish I didn't have to leave, but it's safer." Eddie rattled on. "I'll be able to make a difference and make sure my family's okay. Meanwhile…for once I'll be saving you." Eddie smiled sadly. "I'm not the same person anymore, guys, I'm…I'm growing up."  
A heavy silence filled the air. "You may not be the same person, but you'll always be our friend," Rudy spoke solemnly. "You'll always be a Wasabi Warrior."  
Jerry swiped his eyes.  
"No one cry!" He sniffled. "It's not cool!"

They were left to say goodbye to the rest of the Klon girls. They promised to stay in contact as much as possible as Violet's plane waited on the runway. Juliana had already been put on board, leaving the rest to say their farewells. "Well, it's been fun," Bella gave Milton a handshake. "Remember, we still need to finish discussing that theorem!"  
Hilla threw Jack over her hip as a goodbye, while Ila, Kela, and Jilla simultaneously talked over each other to Kim, all sad to leave their new friend. Lela laughed as a bunch of the Klon sisters buried Rudy under a doggie pile.  
"Hey."  
Jerry found himself facing Aella. "Uh…hi."  
"I guess it's goodbye," Aella was unlike herself, fidgeting.  
"I guess."  
"Remember to keep in touch," Aella rambled a little. "And…yeah."  
The boy felt like he was moving through syrup. "Uh-huh. We'll all stay in touch."  
Aella smiled, calming her nerves. "Good."  
The clone squeezed him in an embrace and kissed his cheek, leaving Jerry too shocked to react.  
"For the record, I think you're very cool," she whispered into his ear before pulling away.  
Jack found himself facing Ella.  
"Thanks for being nice," she said curtly, then turned to the others. "All of you. It was nice working together."  
Milton snorted. "For what, two days?"  
"It was fun," Ella reemphasized, glaring at him. She then met each of the Wasabi Warriors' eyes, smiling slightly. "Maybe we'll do it again sometime."  
"I'll look forward to it," Kim hugged her, causing Ella to freeze. The tough girl hesitantly hugged her back while the others giggled behind her.  
"Likewise," Madame Riker smiled genially. "If I never see any of you again, I hope you have happy lives."  
"I'll say the same," Rudy saluted.

Last came the most difficult farewell, the parting between best friends and comrades,who'd had many adventures together and solidified their bond.  
For awhile, the gang all stared at each other awkwardly.  
"You won't be allowed to mention me," Eddie broke the silence first, another change from his previous self. "At all. It's too dangerous."  
"We know," Jerry was despondent. "Just…take care of yourself, okay?"  
One more group hug was triggered with Eddie Jones stuck in the middle.  
"Guys," he begged helplessly. "Can't breathe…"  
The Wasabi Warriors released him, their eyes shining as they laughed.  
"Ready for one last time?" Rudy held out his arm.  
The others grinned and did the same.  
"Eddie, why don't you start us off," Kim suggested.  
The boy coughed and cleared his throat.  
"We swear by the light of the dragon's eye—"  
His friends joined in on the second line.  
"To be loyal and honest and never say die. Wasabi!"  
As they threw their hands into the air one last time, they all realized something.  
The moment might be fleeting…but their friendship would be forever.


	17. Epilogue

Systems online. Memory recovered. Booting up…

Juliana flew up from the bed, gasping. Her hands crushed the blanket between her fingers.  
"Juliana!" Madame Riker ran in. "Are you all right?"  
Eddie was right behind the woman at a respectful distance.  
"You remember us, right?" Eddie asked tentatively.  
The girl blinked.  
"Hurry up and answer them!"  
Juliana whirled around to see Ella lounging in the corner, yawning.  
"Please," Ella groaned. "Violet—I mean, Vi will kill me if you've lost your memories. We've been in this safe house for ages, now please say something before she gets here!"  
"Safe house…?" Juliana gasped. Her eyes to began to water.  
Eddie moved to her side. "Juliana, what's wrong?"  
The girl looked around, taking in the sight of Ella, Eddie, and Madame Riker, then smiled.  
"Nothing," Juliana laughed with joy, tears gleaming down her cheeks. "Everything is finally all right."


End file.
